{"id":5919,"date":"2026-06-06T20:01:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T20:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/06\/bird-tests-positive-for-west-nile-virus-in-yolo-county-as-virus-activity-rises\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T20:01:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T20:01:56","slug":"bird-tests-positive-for-west-nile-virus-in-yolo-county-as-virus-activity-rises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/06\/bird-tests-positive-for-west-nile-virus-in-yolo-county-as-virus-activity-rises\/","title":{"rendered":"Bird tests positive for West Nile Virus in Yolo County as virus activity rises"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A dead bird has tested positive for West Nile virus in Yolo County, marking the first confirmed sign of the disease in the area as West Nile virus activity continues to rise during mosquito season.<\/p>\n

Read more Pedestrian dies, hit by vehicle near Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento coroner says<\/a><\/p>\n

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The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District announced Friday that workers had collected the dead Brewer\u2019s blackbird near Klenhard Park in east Woodland. The specimen adds to the one mosquito and five dead bird samples that have already tested positive for the disease in Sacramento County, as mosquito season kicks off and virus activity begins \u201cearlier\u201d than it has in recent years, officials said.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAs temperatures continue to rise, we expect West Nile virus activity to increase throughout the region,\u201d Gary Goodman, district manager for the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District, said in a statement. \u201cThis is concerning as we head into summer and approach the hottest months when mosquito populations and disease activity typically peak.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Mosquito season typically spans from May to October. West Nile virus, first detected in California in 2003, is endemic in Sacramento and Yolo counties and is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the United States. Last year, 124 confirmed human cases of the disease \u2014 including 11 fatalities \u2014 were reported in California, according to the district.<\/p>\n

Read more Pedestrian dies, hit by vehicle near Stockton Boulevard, Sacramento coroner says<\/a><\/p>\n

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Goodman urged residents to take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites and eliminate mosquito breeding sites around their homes as the season gets underway.<\/p>\n

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The public is also encouraged to report dead birds to the California Department of Public Health hotline. Though not all reported birds will be collected and tested, reports help guide mosquito surveillance and control efforts, a spokesperson for the department said in a statement.<\/p>\n

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How can I protect myself from mosquito bites?<\/h2>\n

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The Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District recommends the \u201cseven Ds of mosquito prevention\u201d to limit the risk of mosquito bites:<\/p>\n

Read more I-80 lane and ramp closures expected in Placer and Nevada counties in coming days<\/a><\/p>\n

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