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LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles County Health Authorities confirmed Wednesday the first death of West Nile virus in the county and once again urged residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites that could spread the disease.
Robert Johnson, 53, a long-time public defender in Los Angeles County and a father of two, died after contracting the virus.
Johnson was a resident of the San Fernando Valley. He had been hospitalized in early September and had died as a result of a "neuroinvasive disease associated with West Nile virus," according to the county's Department of Public Health.
So far, 38 human cases of West Nile virus have been confirmed this year in the county, with the exception of Long Beach and Pasadena, which have their own health service. In 2017, there were 268 human cases of the virus in the county and a record 27 deaths.
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"This should remind us all that West Nile virus is a serious disease," said Dr. Muntu Davis, County Health Officer. "Everyone should take precautions when using an insect repellent approved by the Environmental Protection Agency on the outside and by checking every week for the presence of elements that collect stagnant water at home or in the water. where mosquitoes can reproduce.
"Items that hold water, even as small as a bottle cap, must be cleaned, covered or cleaned to stop mosquito breeding," Davis said.
The virus is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Health officials say people over the age of 50 and people with chronic conditions such as cancer or diabetes are at a higher risk of developing severe neuroinvasive disease caused by West Nile infection can lead to brain infections, paralysis and even death.
Given the risk, district vector control officers in recent weeks have traveled through areas of the valley where mosquitoes breed.
In August, they identified six "chronic mosquito breeding sites" in Northridge and in other areas of northwestern San Fernando Valley, to which officials from the city of Los Angeles were asked to go. attack. These areas had large amounts of stagnant water around clogged gutters and other public infrastructure. Samples taken from mosquitoes in several communities in the San Fernando Valley between July 3 and August 16 showed the presence of the virus, officials said. These areas include Burbank, Encino, Northridge, Panorama City, Porter Ranch, Sherman Oaks, Sun Valley and Van Nuys.
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Johnson's death sparked a wave of greeting, from the Public Defender's office to his neighborhood, where he would have been "universally loved".
In a previous post on a GoFundMe page, Johnson, of Shadow Hills, has been described as "a dynamic man, dedicated public defender, amazing father and wife, who has been seriously embarrassed by a mosquito carrying the West Nile virus."
The page noted that the virus caused encephalitis and "flaccid paralysis".
"It's amazing and terrible that a small mosquito bite can put a person in a semi-vegetative state," according to the message.
On Wednesday, more and more people were mourning her loss, stunned that a mouthful could lead to this.
A resident of the area said on Facebook that Johnson lived next door.
"I thought," he added, that everyone needs to know that this does not always happen with someone else. "
Johnson's death also occurs when county health officials warn residents about another insect-borne disease.
On Tuesday, officials said that a coordinated government response to a flea-borne typhus outbreak was essential.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger said Los Angeles County health workers needed to work with their peers in Pasadena – where the disease had reached epidemic proportions – and in Long Beach. Both cities have independent health agencies.
RELATED HISTORY: A flea-typhus outbreak is reported in downtown LA; rats, wildcats and opossums can spread diseases
Barger has seen a motion calling for greater awareness of people at risk as well as the many agencies in the city that manage animal control and garbage collection in the county. It will be reviewed by the Supervisory Board next week.
The recent downtown typhus epidemic accounts for about 15 percent of the 59 cases reported this year by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, according to Barger. According to the DPH, six of the nine downtown cases were contracted by homeless people and all nine were hospitalized for treatment.
The county total reflects an upward trend at least over the last three years, with 67 cases reported for the entire year 2017. This does not include cases in Long Beach or Pasadena.
Pasadena has been disproportionately affected, confirming 20 cases of typhus to date in 2018, compared to one to five cases per year. Long Beach has had double its historical case rate, with a total of 12 reported to date.
City News Service contributed to this report, along with editors Elizabeth Chou and Ryan Carter.
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