THE ACCUSED SELLER IS IN THE SOLANO COUNTY JAIL. THE FIRST HUMAN CASE OF WEST NILE VIRUS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY. MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL OFFICIALS ARE SEEING MORE INSECTS WITH WEST NILE VIRUS ACROSS THE REGION. KCRA 3’S ANAHITA JAFARY IS LIVE FOR US IN SACRAMENTO. WITH WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THIS CASE. YEAH, RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A 60 YEAR OLD WOMAN RECOVERING FROM WEST NILE VIRUS AFTER BEING DIAGNOSED WITH IT. AND SO WE DID SPEAK WITH EXPERTS GOING INTO THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. IF YOU HAPPEN TO BE OUTSIDE THIS 4TH OF JULY. THE BLUE IS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, AND THAT’S WHERE THE HUMAN CASE OCCURRED. AND SO THAT’S WHY THAT’S SHOWN THERE. BUT NOW THE WEST NILE VIRUS HAS MADE ITS WAY NORTH INTO SACRAMENTO COUNTY, SOMETHING THE SACRAMENTO YOLO MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL DISTRICT IS SEEING FIRSTHAND. WEST NILE VIRUS IS INCREASING IN OUR AREA. OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, WE HAVE SEEN BOTH BIRDS THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS, AS WELL AS MOSQUITO SAMPLES. SACRAMENTO PUBLIC HEALTH CONFIRMED THE COUNTY’S FIRST HUMAN CASE OF 2026. ONLY THE SECOND ONE STATEWIDE. 80% OF THE TIME, THERE’S NO SYMPTOMS. 20% OF THE TIME, PEOPLE CAN HAVE SYMPTOMS, AND IT’S REALLY A NONSPECIFIC ILLNESS. SO PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED MAY HAVE FEVER, MUSCLE ACHES, JOINT ACHES, BUT ONE OUT OF EVERY 150 PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED HAVE A MUCH MORE SERIOUS REACTION. YOU COULD DIE, OR EVEN THOSE WHO RECOVER SOMETIMES HAVE CHRONIC PROBLEMS, SUCH AS FATIGUE OR PROBLEMS WITH MEMORY OR OTHER NEUROLOGIC ISSUES. THE VIRUS IS TRANSMITTED TO PEOPLE FROM INFECTED MOSQUITOES. DOCTORS SUGGEST WAYS TO REDUCING THE RISK OF A BITE. WHAT WORKS REALLY WELL IS MOSQUITO REPELLENTS AND IN YOUR OWN HOME, IF YOU DECREASE STANDING WATER, THEN YOU’RE GOING TO DECREASE MOSQUITO BREEDING GROUNDS AND DECREASE YOUR RISK OF GETTING MOSQUITO BITES. MOSQUITO AND VECTOR CONTROL IS NOW WORKING TO REDUCE MOSQUITO POPULATIONS. SINCE WE NOTICED THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CLIMBING OR THE STEADY PROGRESS OF WEST NILE VIRUS ACTIVITY, WE HAVE BEEN RAMPING UP OUR SURVEILLANCE EFFORTS AS WELL AS OUR SPRAYING. AND OFFICIALS SAY ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF FROM MOSQUITO BITES IS BY WEARING LONG CLOTHING. RIGHT. SO LIKE LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS, I AM NOT WEARING A LONG SLEEVE SHIRT RIGHT NOW, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IS BRING MOSQUITO SPRAY. IF YOU’RE WEARING A SHIRT LIKE ME, WHICH TYPICALLY IN HOT SUMMER MONTHS, A LOT OF US HAVE SHORT SLEEVES ON. JUST SPRAY IT ON YOURSELF AND THEN YOU’RE GOOD TO GO. SENDING IT BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO. YEAH. AND TH
Health officials confirm first human case of West Nile virus in Sacramento County this year
Sacramento County public health officials have confirmed the county’s first human case of West Nile virus this year, with experts emphasizing mosquito prevention as key to avoiding infection.
Updated: 11:09 PM PDT Jul 2, 2026
Public health officials have confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus in Sacramento County this year, involving a 60-year-old woman who is currently recovering. Dr. Dean Blumberg, a UC Davis Health expert, explained the virus’s symptoms and potential severity. “Eighty percent of the time there’s no symptoms, 20% of the time people can have symptoms and it’s really a nonspecific illness. So people who are infected may have fever, muscle aches, joint aches, maybe vomiting diarrhea or a rash often occurs and most of them recover,” Blumberg said. He added, “You could die or even those who recover sometimes have chronic problems, such as fatigue or problems with memory or other neurologic issues.” | PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Sacramento County West Nile Virus activity increases, officials sayThe virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, has been increasing in the area, according to Luz Maria Robles of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District. “West Nile virus is increasing in our area. Over the last few weeks we have seen both birds that have tested positive for the virus as well as mosquito samples,” Robles said. Blumberg emphasized the importance of mosquito prevention measures. “What works really well is mosquito repellent,” he said. “In your own home, if you decrease standing water, then you’re going to decrease mosquito breeding grounds and decrease your risk of getting mosquito bites.” Robles said officials are actively working to control mosquito populations. “Since we noticed the steady progress of West Nile virus activity, we have been ramping up our surveillance efforts as well as our spraying,” she said. Officials also suggest wearing clothing that covers more of the body to avoid mosquito bites, though they acknowledge this may be challenging during hot summer days. There are no specific antiviral treatments for West Nile virus, but doctors can diagnose the illness through tests such as a spinal tap.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. —
Public health officials have confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus in Sacramento County this year, involving a 60-year-old woman who is currently recovering.
Dr. Dean Blumberg, a UC Davis Health expert, explained the virus’s symptoms and potential severity. “Eighty percent of the time there’s no symptoms, 20% of the time people can have symptoms and it’s really a nonspecific illness. So people who are infected may have fever, muscle aches, joint aches, maybe vomiting diarrhea or a rash often occurs and most of them recover,” Blumberg said. He added, “You could die or even those who recover sometimes have chronic problems, such as fatigue or problems with memory or other neurologic issues.”
| PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Sacramento County West Nile Virus activity increases, officials say
The virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes, has been increasing in the area, according to Luz Maria Robles of the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito & Vector Control District.
“West Nile virus is increasing in our area. Over the last few weeks we have seen both birds that have tested positive for the virus as well as mosquito samples,” Robles said.
Blumberg emphasized the importance of mosquito prevention measures. “What works really well is mosquito repellent,” he said. “In your own home, if you decrease standing water, then you’re going to decrease mosquito breeding grounds and decrease your risk of getting mosquito bites.”
Robles said officials are actively working to control mosquito populations. “Since we noticed the steady progress of West Nile virus activity, we have been ramping up our surveillance efforts as well as our spraying,” she said.
Officials also suggest wearing clothing that covers more of the body to avoid mosquito bites, though they acknowledge this may be challenging during hot summer days.
There are no specific antiviral treatments for West Nile virus, but doctors can diagnose the illness through tests such as a spinal tap.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google