County reports 4 West Nile virus cases in residents

Patients from the Antelope Valley, San Fernando and central L.A. were infected.

- BY ANDREW J. CAMPA

CULEX MOSQUITOES bite at dawn and dusk and tend to be common carriers of West Nile virus.

The first cases of West Nile virus this year have been recorded in Los Angeles County, with four people hospitalized between July and August, officials said.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on Wednesday announced that patients from the Antelope Valley, San Fernando and central Los Angeles were infected with the virus, hospitalized and are now recovering.

"The first human cases of West Nile virus are an important reminder that we all need to take steps to prevent mosquito bites and mosquito breeding," said Dr. Muntu Davis, L.A. County health officer, in a statement.

"Mosquitoes thrive in hot weather, increasing the risk of bites and mosquito-borne diseases."

West Nile is spread by the bite of infected mosquitoes. Those who have contracted the virus may suffer from a variety of symptoms, including fever, headache, nausea, body aches and a mild skin rash.