The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® is enlisting the help of members and their clients to reduce the risk of West Nile virus. The California Department of Public Health has requested real estate professionals who regularly access unoccupied and for sale homes to report any neglected pools or standing water with mosquito larvae to the county's vector control agency. The agency will then send someone to the home to treat the water to reduce the risk of West Nile virus transmission.
West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that can infect humans, birds, horses and other mammals. There is no known cure for the virus. In most humans, WNV infection causes a mild or moderate, flu-like illness, or no symptoms at all. While the risk of serious illness to most people is low, some individuals can develop serious neurologic illness, such as encephalitis, meningitis, acute flaccid paralysis or in rare instances, the virus can cause death.
Standing water can breed thousands of potentially disease-carrying mosquitoes that could transmit the West Nile virus, which is quickly spreading across the country. Early and aggressive campaign against mosquito breeding areas will reduce the need for the spraying of pesticides. The Santa Clara County Vector Control District recently announced ground fogging operations to suppress adult mosquitoes in some parts of Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and Mountain View.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the country is experiencing the worst West Nile virus outbreak in U.S. history this year. A total of 1,590 cases of WNV disease in people, including 65 deaths, have been reported to the CDC. Over 70 percent of the cases have been reported from six states (Texas, South Dakota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Michigan). As of this week, there have been 44 human cases and two deaths reported in California. There were a total of 27 WNV cases reported in the state last year.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® shares the following information from the California Department of Public Health on ways to reduce risk of exposure to WNV:
1. DEFEND – Use an EPA-registered insect repellent with DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 according to label instructions. Repellents keep the mosquitoes from biting you. DEET can be used safely on infants and children two months of age and older.
2. DAWN AND DUSK – Mosquitoes that carry WNV bite in the early morning and evening. It is important to use repellent and wear clothing that reduces the risk of skin exposure to mosquito bites during this time. Make sure your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes. Repair or replace screens with tears or holes.
3. DRAIN – Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, including buckets, old car tires, and pet bowls. If you have a pond, use mosquito fish (available from your local mosquito and vector control agency) or commercially available products to eliminate mosquito larvae.
To request service or more information about WNV and other vector-borne diseases, contact the Santa Clara County Vector Control District at (408) 918-4770. You can also visit the California West Nile Virus website at www.westnile.ca.gov.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please contact Rose Meily at SILVAR Public Affairs, email , or phone (408) 200-0109.