Mosquito swarms smoked

Redwood Shores might not be the only infected area. There are also plans to analyze Foster City and San Carlos where spraying might be necessary in coming days, said James Count, supervisor of the Mosquito Abatement District.

Fast traveling adult mosquitos that likely came from the East Bay are multiplying quickly in Redwood Shores. The only way to get rid of adult mosquitos is to do aerial fogging from equipment attached to trucks. The fogging presents no harm to humans, but is the only way to control the two aggressive species taking over.

Dorsalis Aedes and Squamiger Aedes mosquitos, common in salt marshes, are highly aggressive and travel in excess of 25 miles a day. They could be carrying the West Nile virus and will try to bite at all hours, Count said.

"They are extremely aggressive morning, noon or night," said Count.

On a recent trip to Redwood Shores, Count estimated between 50 and 100 mosquitos landed on the hood of his car. Normally there would be about five and no more than 15, Count said.

Until now, the Mosquito Abatement District fought mosquitos by preventing them from hatching. Count theorizes a section of Bair Island may have been missed or not treated thoroughly enough, allowing mosquitos to hatch. Now those mosquitos are creating a nuisance and potential health risk.

Between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. today, Count supervised the spraying of Redwood Shores. Trucks equipped with special equipment dispersed a light fog throughout the area. The spray contains low volumes of chemicals to kill the mosquitos, but poses not risk to humans, Count assured.

County officials were notified of the spraying yesterday, but expressed confidence in the Mosquito Abatement District.

"We're being as proactive as possible and it's a serious issue and we're handling it aggressively as we can," said Mark Church, president of the Board of Supervisors.

Last week, county officials announced the discovery of West Nile in a dead crow found in Redwood City on July 28. Now they are dealing with an onslaught of calls about dead birds throughout the county. To date, no other birds have been infected.

Officials are preparing themselves for human cases, which are expected to show up in the next several weeks.

About 1 percent of people become seriously ill from the virus, which is spread by mosquitos that feed on infected birds. Most people who are infected never become ill, but about 20 percent suffer flu-like symptoms.

To protect themselves from West Nile the county is suggesting people follow "the four Ds."

Drain standing water around the house where mosquitos lay eggs. This includes tires, cans, flowerpots, clogged rain gutters, rain barrels toys and puddles. Dusk and dawn are when mosquitos that carry the virus are most active and people should limit their outdoor activities. DEET is the most effective way to repel mosquitos. Dress in long sleeves and pants during dawn and dusk or in areas where mosquitos are active.

West Nile, which first hit the United States in 1999 in New York, has killed more than 560 people in the past five years as it marched westward. Last year was the first for the virus to appear in areas west of the Continental Divide. In California, five people have died this year from the disease.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106. What do you think of this story? Send a letter to the editor: letters@smdailyjournal.com