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An elderly resident of East Long Beach died this past week after being hospitalized in October due to complications associated with contracting the West Nile Virus (WNV).

The death marks the first of its kind in nearly a decade, with the last WNV death in Long Beach having occurred in 2004 when the virus hit its peak along the West Coast after first being identified in the United States in 1999. To date, there are six cases of people who have contracted the virus in Long Beach in 2013; the first was found in a 60-year-old resident in September.

“The death of a Long Beach resident due to West Nile virus is a sad and sobering reminder of the risk posed by mosquito bites,” said Dr. Mitchell Kushner, Public Health Officer for the City of Long Beach. “Even though summer is over and West Nile Virus season is winding down, warm weather can continue and mosquitoes can still be active. We should still take precautions to avoid mosquito bites and minimize the risk of WNV infection.”

Kushner provided the following tips in a release to reduce the risk of being exposed to WNV:

  • Avoid mosquito-infested areas, especially at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
  • Mosquitoes breed in standing water. Eliminate standing water on your property by dumping or draining water in neglected ponds, birdbaths, fountains, buckets, old tires or anything that can hold water. Dumping or draining water will interrupt the mosquito life cycle.
  • Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants if you plan to be outdoors at dawn or dusk.
  • Use mosquito repellant containing DEET, Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus. Residents should follow instructions on the label. Consult with your child’s pediatrician for appropriate concentrations of DEET to be used on children under the age of 2.
  • Keep tight-fitting screens on doors and windows to prevent mosquitoes from entering homes and check to make sure your window screens are in good condition.
  • Clean and chlorinate swimming pools and drain water from pool covers.
  • Limit the watering of lawns and outdoor plants to twice a week to avoid run off to gutters and around sprinklers.
  • Report dead birds and dead tree squirrels to the California Department of Health Services by calling 877-WNV-BIRD or online at www.westnile.ca.gov.

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