California Governor Schwarzenegger Announces Additional Emergency Funding to Fight West Nile Virus

Totals More Than $1.3 Million

08/10/2007 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced $897,000 in funding to be released immediately to assist in mosquito control efforts and West Nile Virus surveillance throughout the state. This is in addition to the $453,000 in emergency funding the Governor announced yesterday to fight West Nile Virus. This emergency funding is authorized through the West Nile Virus emergency proclamation Governor Schwarzenegger signed last week.

“With an unprecedented increase in the number of West Nile Virus cases nationwide this year, I want to be sure our local partners have the resources they need to fight this deadly virus,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “I will continue to work with local and state agencies to take proactive measures to protect Californians from this disease including providing additional funding as needed through my emergency powers as governor.”

“This is also a reminder to all Californians to protect themselves against mosquito bites – including getting rid of standing water, wearing insect repellent and staying inside during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.”

Since taking office, Governor Schwarzenegger has invested more than $15 million to fight the West Nile Virus. The state deploys surveillance and detection technology to track specific areas of West Nile Virus activity and alert local agencies so they can target their mosquito control activities.

The funding announced today has been awarded to the following vector control agencies:

* Amador County Agriculture Department - $5,000 for surveillance.

* Butte County Mosquito Vector Control District - $50,000 for mosquito control and $8,000 for surveillance.

* Durham Mosquito District (Butte County) - $10,000 for mosquito control.

* Calaveras County Environmental Health Department - $10,000 for surveillance.

* Colusa Mosquito Abatement District - $50,000 for mosquito control and $38,904 for surveillance.

* Consolidated Mosquito Abatement District (Fresno County) - $34,126 for mosquito control and $15,000 for surveillance.

* Fresno Mosquito and Vector Control District - $8,616 for mosquito control and $21,808 for surveillance.

* Fresno Westside Mosquito Abatement District - $6,100 for mosquito control and $8,960 for surveillance.

* Glenn County Health Services Agency - $35,184 for mosquito control and $22,342 for surveillance.

* Glenn County Mosquito and Vector Control District - $3,276 for surveillance.

* Imperial County Vector Control - $3,030 for surveillance.

* Owens Valley Mosquito Abatement Program (Inyo County) - $5,000 for surveillance.

* South Fork Mosquito Abatement District (Kern County) - $12,827 for mosquito control and $3,655 for surveillance.

* West Side Mosquito and Vector Control District (Kern County) -$ 23,098 for mosquito control and $26,469 for surveillance.

* Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District - $18,210 for surveillance.

* Merced County Mosquito Abatement District - $50,000 for mosquito control and $8,462 for surveillance.

* Placer Mosquito Abatement District - $10,000 for mosquito control and $17,469 for surveillance.

* Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District - $42,250 for surveillance.

* San Bernardino County - $20,130 for surveillance.

* San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District - $100,000 for mosquito control and $8,923 for surveillance.

* San Luis Obispo Mosquito Abatement Program - $7,203 for surveillance.

* Santa Clara County Vector Control District - $37,460 for mosquito control and $15,000 for surveillance.

* Burney Basin Mosquito Abatement District (Shasta County) -$5,000 for mosquito control and $1,499 for surveillance.

* Shasta Mosquito and Vector Control District - $45,000 for mosquito control and $15,151 for surveillance.

* Pine Grove Mosquito Abatement District (Shasta County) - $5,000 for mosquito control and $2,970 for surveillance.

* East Side Mosquito Abatement District (Stanislaus County) -$29,587 for mosquito control.

* Tehama County Mosquito and Vector Control District - $25,000 for mosquito control and $17,463 for surveillance.

* Tulare County Mosquito Abatement District -$10,000 for mosquito control and $850 for surveillance.

Yesterday, Governor Schwarzenegger announced emergency funds totaling $453,000 to the following vector control agencies for mosquito control efforts:

* Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District - $200,000 to conduct aerial spraying over an urban area (Bakersfield) for the first time this year.

* San Joaquin County Mosquito and Vector Control District - $100,000 to intensify and expand aerial spraying to areas that they could not cover before.

* Colusa Mosquito Abatement District - $100,000 to conduct, for the first time, adult mosquito control via ground and aerial spraying outside the boundaries of the district.

* Glenn County Mosquito and Vector Control District - $53,000 to start adult mosquito control via ground and aerial spraying outside the boundaries of the district, including rice fields and orchards.

The number of people infected this year with West Nile Virus is three times higher than the same time last year. There have been 5 deaths in California due to West Nile Virus (2 in Kern County, 1 in Kings County, 1 in San Joaquin County and 1 in Colusa County).

Source: California Governor

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