Positive WNV dead bird found in Porterville

A dead bird that has tested positive for West Nile Virus has been found in Porterville.

Marshall Norgaard, manager of the Tulare Mosquito Abatement District, said he notified City officials on Friday to report the findings.

“We think it died approximately two weeks ago but just learned about it [testing positive] on Friday,” Norgaard said. “I notified City Manager John Lollis right away to make him aware of it.”

Porterville does not have a mosquito abatement district, but as a courtesy, the Tulare District picks up dead birds from Porterville to test for the presence of the virus, he said.

“We don’t set any carbon-dioxide traps out there because they are quite costly, but we do pick up dead birds. This lets us know how our eastern border is coming along and prepares us,” Norgaard said. “So far we have not had a lot of dead birds this year as we have in the past. As far as positive pools, we anticipate seeing a lot more of them as the season goes along. The dead bird is just an indication that the West Nile Virus is active in and around the area. But it’s in Tulare, it’s in Visalia. It’s everywhere else. The purpose of having an abatement district is to constantly patrol various areas and try to eliminate as much as you can.”

According to Norgaard, the bird was found in the 1300 block of West Grand Avenue in Porterville.

In the meantime, no other dead birds have been reported this season by the Tulare or the Delta Vector Control districts, which serves the Cutler-Orosi, Dinuba, Exeter, Farmersville, Visalia and Woodlake areas in Tulare County. Statewide, 30 new WNV dead birds have been reported in California during the past week.

Positive West Nile Virus mosquito samples continue to flourish in California, with 120 new samples reported in the state, including 17 in Tulare County, 10 in Fresno County, 25 in Kern County, and Kings County’s first. In all, there have been 322 positive samples in 18 counties this year.

Of the 17 in Tulare County, one was from a positive sample pool on the eastern side of Tulare and one from a positive sample pool in Tipton.

“We fogged that area Saturday night,” said Norgaard about the Tulare site. “The one in Tipton was retested and it didn’t reoccur.

Norgaard said he has numerous carbon dioxide traps throughout his district.

“We place dry ice out there. The dry ice mimics a person breathing by creating carbon dioxide. The mosquitoes think there is a person there and the trap suctions them in,” Norgaard said. “It’s quite effective because mosquitoes are sensitive to this. It’s well worth it.”

Only five positive West Nile Virus human cases have been reported in three California counties this year — the most recent case being reported in Fresno County.

A 55-year-old Fresno woman tested positive last week for West Nile Virus after falling ill to flu-like symptoms. No hospitalization was necessary and the woman is recovering, said Fresno health officials. Last year there were 112 cases of human West Nile Virus resulting in four deaths, one of them in Fresno County.

Porterville City Councilman Greg Shelton — who served on a committee last year to research a tax measure for an abatement district for Porterville — said the City is still discussing whether or not to place it before the community, and that he believes the City is reluctant to place a tax because of the state of the economy.

“Personally I’m not in favor of any tax,” Shelton said. “But I think it’s best to take it to the people and let them decide how many people need to come down with West Nile Virus before we do something about it.”

Lollis said the next step of action is for a survey to be administered by the Tulare Mosquito Abatement District.

“It is my understanding that they are still strongly considering pursuing a survey — a sampling of voters to see if the district is wanted,” Lollis said. “They’re still pursuing it but it just hasn’t been transmitted.”

Residents are encouraged to report dead birds — which may be a sign that West Nile Virus is circulating between birds and the mosquitoes in an area. Visit www.westnile.ca.gov to submit an online report or call (877) WNV-BIRD, (877)-968-2473.

Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.