MODESTO — West Nile virus has been detected in Stanislaus County for the first time this year, prompting renewed warnings from local mosquito abatement officials as summer temperatures fuel mosquito activity across the Central Valley.
The Turlock Mosquito Abatement District — which serves communities including Newman — confirmed that mosquito samples collected June 16 tested positive for the virus. The finding marks the first detection of the season in Stanislaus County. Merced County, whose district covers Gustine, had not yet reported a positive mosquito sample as of Friday, according to the California West Nile virus website.
A positive mosquito sample, often called a “mosquito pool,” indicates that a group of mosquitoes collected for testing carried the virus. No human cases have been reported locally, but officials say the detection means residents should take steps now to protect themselves from mosquito bites…