From KTLA
September 20, 2021
While many people might think mosquitoes are not a big deal in Southern California, where it’s not so humid, they should think again.
Public health officials say that the number of mosquito bites in the Los Angeles area has risen in recent years. And the hotter summers of the past few years may foreshadow conditions that boost the numbers of these small, blood-sucking pests.
That raises concerns about West Nile Virus, an incurable and potentially deadly mosquito-borne illness that can be transmitted to humans and animals.
L.A. County health officials on Monday reported this year’s first death linked to West Nile virus in the county. In 2020, there were 93 West Nile virus cases and seven deaths, according to public health data.