West Nile is back in Merced County. Here’s what you can do to stay safe

West Nile virus was detected in one mosquito found outside Los Banos last week, officials with the Merced County Mosquito Abatement District announced.

The mosquito tested positive for the virus on Friday, the first time West Nile has been detected in Merced County this year.

“This year is going to be a challenging year for mosquito control in Merced County,” said Rhiannon Jones, general manager of the mosquito abatement district. “We have thousands of acres flooded along river corridors in the county, and due to heavy snow pack this year, we will continue to see lots of water channeling through the county wetlands.”

As of last week, West Nile was detected in 11 California counties and found in 11 dead birds, 29 mosquito samples and one human case in Kings County, officials with the mosquito abatement district said in a statement.

Last year, there were no human cases of West Nile in Merced County. Throughout the state, there were 483 human cases –19 of which resulted in death – in 2016, state health department numbers show.

Mosquitoes that carry Zika have not been detected in Merced County. Mosquito-transmitted cases of Zika, Dengue or Chikungunya viruses also have not been reported locally, Jones said.

“We are actively trapping for the invasive species of mosquitoes that carry these diseases,” she said. “West Nile virus, however, is in Merced County, and we urge people to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.”

Mosquito abatement district officials request residents report any daytime biting mosquito in urban areas to help detect invasive species.

Officials are reminding residents to dump or drain standing water, use repellents containing DEET, Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Avoid being outdoors at dawn and dusk.

This story was originally published June 6, 2017 at 8:57 AM with the headline "West Nile is back in Merced County. Here’s what you can do to stay safe."