A record outbreak of West Nile fever has been recorded in California.
California has faced an abnormal invasion of mosquitoes, which has led to a record increase in cases of West Nile fever. This was reported on October 11 by The Guardian newspaper.
According to the local Department of Health, there were more than 180 cases of West Nile virus infection in Los Angeles County in 2026. This is the highest figure in almost ten years.
The specialized service for the control of mosquitoes and disease vectors in Orange County also noted an increase in the population of mosquitoes carrying a dangerous disease. According to service spokesman Brian Brannon, at least 850 special traps have mosquitoes with the virus.
The article notes that the most common mosquito species in California is Culex quinquefasciatus, which becomes infected with the West Nile virus by biting birds and then transmitting the virus to humans.
"I've lived here all my life, but the number of mosquitoes I've seen this summer is just insane. Everyone's talking about them... It's impossible to even go out into the backyard. You can't sit in the car with the windows open. They are swarming everywhere," locals share on social media.
The sharp increase in the mosquito population is caused by abnormal heat and high humidity, which are associated with an increase in El Nino.
El Nino is an abnormal increase in water temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which causes sudden weather changes around the world once every 3-7 years. It provokes global warming, large-scale droughts, floods, forest fires and hurricanes, and also significantly affects yields.
On August 17, general practitioner Nadezhda Chernyshova said that mosquitoes are much more dangerous than people think. The main danger is related to the infections that they are able to carry. In particular, we are talking about West Nile fever, which usually resembles the flu, but in rare cases can lead to meningitis or encephalitis.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
