The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District (GLACVCD) has confirmed the first mosquito sample to test positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in La Crescenta this year. This WNV-positive sample was detected in mosquito traps in the community on Aug. 4. District staff will place notices in public spaces within a half-mile radius around trap locations to advise residents to take precautions when mosquitoes are present.   

Positive samples were also collected from (among other places): 

• City of Glendale
• City of Los Angeles, Lake View Terrace
• City of Los Angeles, Arleta

  To support these efforts, WNV provides information below that can be shared to help raise awareness.  

   Important WNV Information  

WNV is transmitted to people and animals through the bite of an infected Culex mosquito, which is most active from dusk to dawn 

• Approximately one in five people infected with WNV will develop symptoms 
• Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, nausea or a skin rash 
• Severe cases can lead to paralysis or even death 
• There is currently no human vaccine for WNV 

   Mosquito Prevention and Protection   

Mosquito control is a shared responsibility and residents can help reduce the threat of WNV in their neighborhoods by taking the following steps: 

• Once a week, empty any items that hold water like buckets, planters, children’s toys, discarded tires, birdbaths, plant saucers or trash containers 
• Maintain swimming pools, spas and ponds, and report neglected or green pools to vector control 
• Wear insect repellent when outdoors where mosquitoes may be present 
• Report dead birds to the California Dept. of Public Health online at https://westnile.ca.gov or call 1-877-WNV-BIRD.