By KEN CARLSON
BEE STAFF WRITER
MODESTO BEE

Last Updated: July 19, 2005, 07:27:35 AM PDT

With West Nile virus activity on the rise in the Northern San Joaquin Valley, officials are advising people to take precautions.

In Stanislaus County, the signs include dead birds, which tested positive for the virus, scattered across Modesto, plus infected mosquito pools along the San Joaquin River near Grayson and Crows Landing.

Abatement district officials were quick to point out that the presence of dead birds alone does not mean infected mosquitoes are nearby.

Officials also said they need to find significant numbers of mosquitoes in those locations before spraying — and they haven't found that in Modesto.

They also stressed the virus is not isolated to the areas where it's been detected so far. It could be anywhere, so people should put on repellant before heading outdoors in the evenings and mornings, when mosquitoes are active.

Read More >>

Bee staff writer Ken Carlson can be reached at 578-2321 or kcarlson@modbee.com.