{"id":8351,"date":"2015-11-26T18:36:01","date_gmt":"2015-11-26T18:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salushomecare.com\/los-angeles\/?p=8351"},"modified":"2025-03-20T11:24:13","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T11:24:13","slug":"the-west-nile-virus-threat-to-los-angeles-senior-citizens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salushomecare.com\/los-angeles\/blog\/the-west-nile-virus-threat-to-los-angeles-senior-citizens\/","title":{"rendered":"The West Nile Virus Threat to Los Angeles Senior Citizens"},"content":{"rendered":"

The California Department of Public Health reported that in 2015 there were 40 counties across the state in which West Nile Virus had been detected. The populous list included Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Ventura, Fresno, and Los Angeles counties.<\/p>\n

801 fatal cases throughout the state were reported in 2014, the highest count to date, up from 379 in 2013.<\/p>\n

Though the virus passes an undetected infection cycle in most of the population for 1 percent of a highly sensitive group, the disease can be life threatening.<\/p>\n

The Los Angeles Times<\/a> reported that 28 deaths so far have been attributed to the virus, with the majority of those fatalities being senior citizens.<\/p>\n

Definition of West Nile Virus<\/h2>\n

West Nile Virus is a disease transmitted primarily by arthropods, mosquitoes in this case. The disease was first detected in New York in 1999. Since then the disease has spread throughout the 48 continental states of the US, no cases having been detected in Alaska or Hawaii.<\/p>\n

\"west<\/p>\n

First discovered in 1937 in the African country of Uganda, the virus is primarily spread through mosquitoes that have bitten a contaminated bird or its carcass.<\/p>\n

The disease can range in severity from mild or unnoticeable to severe or life threatening.<\/p>\n

Symptoms<\/h2>\n

Symptoms may take up to 15 days to develop, though most people who have been infected do not display or are unaware of any symptoms.<\/p>\n

Those with symptoms may report:<\/p>\n