Dead Bird Found in Beverly Hills Tests Positive for West Nile Virus

The Los Angeles County West Vector & Vector-Borne Disease Control District has reported a dead bird collected in Beverly Hills has tested positive for West Nile Virus.

This is the second infected bird reported within the last two months. .

Throughout Los Angeles County, the virus has been reported in 87 of the 361 zip codes; however, the discovery of a bird in a specific area does not mean that area is vulnerable to an epidemic, the Vector & Vector-Borne Disease Control District reported.

"A bird may travel and die as much as 1 to 10 miles away from the location where it was infected," Vector Control said in a Sept. 7 public health advisory.

West Nile Virus—which is generally transmitted to people via bites from infected mosquitoes, according to the Center for Disease Control—can bring on symptoms ranging from headaches and fevers to stupor and disorientation. In extreme cases, people infected with the virus can experience paralysis and comas. Some infected people show no symptoms at all, Vector Control said.

To reduce the risk of becoming infected with the virus, the CDC recommends applying insect repellent to exposed skin when outdoors, keeping window screens in good condition and keeping yards free of standing water, including water that might collect in empty flower pots, pet food dishes, bird baths and discarded items.

As of Sept. 4, 48 states have reported a total of 1,993 cases (of which 87 have resulted in death) of West Nile Virus nationwide so far this year, according to the CDC. The 1,993 cases reported thus far in 2012 is the highest number of West Nile virus disease cases reported to CDC through the first week in September since West Nile virus was first detected in the United States.

To read more statistics about West Nile Virus and to view a West Nile Virus map for the United States, visit the Center for Disease Control site. Coincidentally, .