With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Mosquitoes trapped in Ontario area test positive for West Nile virus
The Culex genus mosquito, the carrier of the West Nile virus, is separated from other mosquitos caught in traps.
(
Jeff Topping/Getty Images
)
Listen
0:41
Mosquitoes trapped in Ontario area test positive for West Nile virus
Vector control officials say mosquitoes trapped in the Ontario area have tested positive for West Nile virus. It’s the virus’s first appearance in that region this year.
San Bernardino County vector control workers collected the mosquitoes in a flood control basin on the border of Fontana and Ontario. Crews treated the basin and will continue to monitor it. The virus usually peaks in the summertime.
Mosquito bites transmit it to animals and people. The virus can cause severe flu-like symptoms and even death.
Older people tend to be most at risk, but young healthy people can also become sick. California encourages people to participate in its surveillance program by reporting dead birds or squirrels to the state West Nile Virus hotline.
Sponsored message
Vector control officials say surveillance, prevention and treatment efforts have helped keep the virus from spreading as widely as it has in the past.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
