State ag department finds more West Nile

Officials at the Agriculture Department's test lab say they have found more evidence of West Nile Virus in Nevada.

A dead crow tested positive for the disease earlier this week. Now, according to state officials, two more crows in the Yerington area have tested positive and a mosquito pool in the Fernley area tested positive.

In addition, Elko veterinarian Dan Crowell found a finch dead in Spring Creek near Elko which tested positive for the disease.

State Health Officer Bradford Lee said the discoveries highlight the need for prevention measures throughout the state including elimination of any standing water which might harbor mosquito larvae. He urged people to wear mosquito repellent, long sleeves when outdoors and to make sure screens are secure on windows and doors.

West Nile virus is one of a group of disease-causing viruses spread by mosquitoes, Sage said. The virus first appeared on the East Coast in 1999 and has steadily moved west. It is transmitted to humans and animals through the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot be spread person to person.

Mosquitoes become infected with West Nile virus when they feed on infected birds. Most people who are bitten by a mosquito with the virus will not get sick. Of those who do, only 2 in 10 will develop an illness that is similar to a bad flu.

About one in 150 people infected will develop serious nervous system disease. There is no treatment or human vaccine for the virus.