There’s no need to guess at the origin of the litter that flows
into San Mateo Creek. It’s not hard to recognize.
Thursday morning, a handful of volunteers pulled 15 shopping
carts, a bicycle, several car tires and at least 10 traffic
cones from the mouth of San Mateo Creek at low tide, half a
mile from open Bay waters.
Despite a lighter mosquito season in San Mateo County than in
previous years, health officials are cautioning residents
to be aware of West Nile virus after the first infected animal
case was reported in a squirrel found July 9.
The squirrel — an Eastern grey squirrel found in San Mateo —
signaled that West Nile season has arrived this year in
the county.
The virus has been in the county since 2004, according to the
San Mateo County Health Department.
The first animal case of West Nile Virus in San Mateo County
this year has been found in a squirrel collected last week
in the city of San Mateo, a San Mateo County
Health Department spokeswoman said Thursday.
An eastern gray tree squirrel was found July 9 by the San Mateo
County Mosquito Abatement District, and subsequent testing
at the University of California, Davis, concluded it tested
positive for the virus, according to spokeswoman Beverley
Thames.
San Mateo County joined a list of 32 other California
communities to report a positive test for the West
Nile Virus on Wednesday. The virus was discovered in an
eastern grey squirrel that was collected on July 9 in San
Mateo by the San Mateo County Mosquito Abatement District.
A squirrel found in San Mateo County earlier this month tested
positive for West Nile virus, a likely sign that infected
mosquitoes with the potential to bite humans are among us
again, the San Mateo County Mosquito Abatement District said
Wednesday.
The squirrel’s diagnosis marks the first detection of West Nile
virus in the county this year. The virus has been detected in
the county since 2004.
The first animal case of West Nile virus in San Mateo County
this year has been found in a squirrel collected last week in
the city of San Mateo, a San Mateo County Health Department
spokeswoman said today.
An eastern gray tree squirrel was found July 9 by the San Mateo
County Mosquito Abatement District, and subsequent testing at
the University of California, Davis concluded it tested
positive for the virus, according to spokeswoman Beverly
Thames.
Local mosquito experts confirmed a squirrel collected earlier
this month in the city of San Mateo was positive for the West
Nile virus which in itself isn’t dangerous for humans but
implies the presence of infected mosquitoes.
That implication is leading health officials to urge people to
take precautions against the potentially fatal virus, such as
wearing mosquito repellent and removing standing water from
property.
The first animal case of West Nile Virus in San Mateo County
this year has been found in a squirrel collected July 9 in the
city of San Mateo, a San Mateo County Health Department
spokeswoman reports.
An eastern grey tree squirrel was found by the San Mateo County
Mosquito Abatement District, and subsequent testing at the
University of California, Davis, concluded it tested positive
for the virus, according to spokeswoman Beverly Thames.
