Santa Clara County’s Vector Control District has been conducting adult-mosquito control treatments to suppress the spread of the West Nile Virus in Palo Alto, San José, Milpitas, Willow Glen, and the greater Santa Clara area.
Vector Control Community Resource Specialist Beverly Perez said prevention treatments have been happening since late August.
She also said the first case of a mosquito with West Nile Virus was found all the way back in late July in Palo Alto.
West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne disease that originated from the West Nile District in Uganda, according to a website from Santa Clara County Vector Control District.
It was first detected on the East Coast of the U.S. in 1999 and arrived in Santa Clara County in 2004, according to the same source.
California has had an average of 47 reported cases of West Nile Virus for the past 5 years. In 2022 reported cases went down to 40, and now in 2023 cases are up to 98, according to a website from the West Nile Virus California Department of Public Health.
This virus usually spreads through getting bitten by an infected mosquito, but it can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, or from mother-to-baby during pregnancies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.
The West Nile Virus is rarely fatal and about 1 in 5 people who get infected experience fever or other symptoms. Most who are infected do not experience symptoms at all, according to the CDC.
Those who are 60 years old and above, children, people with medical conditions or immune system complications are more likely to experience severe symptoms or illnesses that target their nervous system.
Those who do grow ill from the virus, experience symptoms such as acute fever, headaches, body aches, joint pains, skin rash, diarrhea and other stomach related issues, or a more severe symptom, inflammation of the brain, according to the same website.
The West Nile Virus can not be cured with vaccines, medications or antibiotics.
The best treatment plans for West Nile Virus are fluids, over the counter pain medication and rest, according to the CDC.
A way to reduce the risk of getting bitten and contracting the West Nile Virus is by using insect
repellent and pesticides and wearing long sleeve shirts and long pants, according to a press release webpage from the Santa Clara County Vector Control District.
Santa Clara County Vector District posts on Instagram a list of zip codes and interactive maps visually outlining the neighborhoods that will be part of treatments each week.
Perez said that control treatments consist of truck mounted equipment emitting mists of pesticides.
The district does not urge people to relocate during these treatments, but does encourage community members to close all windows and doors.
Advertising senior Octavio Franklin lives in one of the affected zip codes of San José. Franklin expressed his concern about not knowing much about the West Nile Virus only prompts more fear in him.
“I've heard of it, but I'm not familiar with it,” Franklin said. “It does concern me because what am I gonna do? How can I protect myself against that?”
Studio Art senior Camy Totah lives in Willow Glen, another affected area.
Totah said hearing this news now, for the first time gives her frustration.
She said she has immune issues, and is afraid of how many people could get unknowingly infected.
“I feel like I haven't heard SJSU or Santa Clara County announce anything about it,” Totah said. “I haven't received any emails or anything. It definitely would be great if they expanded on education about the virus.”
Advertising junior Kristen Bongco, currently living in the affected area of San José, said she views this news as reason for panic because you can not escape mosquitoes.
“It concerns me because there are mosquitoes everywhere,” said Bongco. “Most people are allergic to just the regular mosquito bites, I can’t imagine how bad this would be now.”
Perez said eventually as mosquito season ends with summer, so will the possibility to contract the West Nile Virus.
“West Nile Virus activity tends to increase during the warmer months so it tends to start around spring and end towards the beginning of fall,” said Perez. “Last year, we conducted a total of 12 treatments. This year we are at 12 as of today with more possibly coming, but activity will die down.”
The larger picture at hand for mosquito control is genetically modified (GMO) mosquitoes, according to the CDC.
Genetically modified mosquitoes are being mass produced in laboratories to control a type of mosquito called “Aedes aegypti” mosquitoes, according to the same source.
Genetically modified mosquitoes are produced with a self limiting gene, preventing female mosquito offspring from living to adulthood.
The main purpose of genetically modified mosquitoes is to mate with female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, spread and pass on the self limiting gene, decreasing the female mosquito population and decreasing the mosquito population overall.
Since 2019, 1 billion genetically modified mosquitoes have been released and have been successful in decreasing the number of West Nile Virus cases in places like Brazil, Panama, and India according to the CDC website.
The CDC makes it clear that genetically modified mosquitoes are not intended to stop ongoing disease outbreaks, but to help prevent disease outbreaks and reduce the spreading of germs.
Perez said the district is considering using genetically modified mosquitoes.
“It's just an additional tool that would be helpful to mitigate disease spreading in our communities,” Perez said.
Perez said even if the future of mosquito control has potential the West Nile Virus is in California and it’s here to stay.
She said though the virus is not very well known by many, there are steps residents can take to prevent the West Nile Virus from spreading.
Perez said mosquitoes need stagnant water to lay their eggs.
“Mosquito control is definitely a community effort,” Perez said. “Checking your yard for stagnant water, broken sprinklers, or overwatered plants at least once a week is a big help to prevent breeding and prevent West Nile Virus activity.”
