Mosquitoes are thriving in L.A.'s miserable humidity, worsening the spread of West Nile virus
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Set us as preferred Southern California’s unprecedented humidity fueled by El Niño conditions is giving a boost to mosquitoes and helping spread West Nile virus, experts say.West Nile virus cases in Los Angeles County are the highest they’ve been in more than a decade, records show.The spike is thanks in part to Southern California’s sweltering summer, with record-breaking humidity coupled with extreme heat that’s being shepherded in by El Niño conditions in the Pacific, which are fueling hurricanes that send moisture to California.The lifespan of a mosquito is dependent on several factors including species, temperature, humidity, gender and time of year, according to the Mosquito and Vector Control Assn.of California.
“Mosquitoes really need humidity because otherwise they desecrate,” said Dr.Photini Sinnis with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
“Their lifespan is determined by humidity, so if you have humidity, the infected mosquitoes will live longer and infect more people.”Southern California had some of the worst humidity ever recorded for the region this summer, experts said, which made already hot temperatures feel oppressive, sparking health concerns.And in that humidity, mosquitoes were breeding — and biting.“Mosquitoes are not long lived, but they can live for a few weeks and they’ll take a blood meal every four days,” Sinnis said.So far this year, Los Angeles County has seen 100 cases of West Nile virus, resulting in five deaths, the county’s Department of Public Health said.
In comparison, there were only 22 cases and two deaths all of last year.Of the county’s 100 cases, 73 were men, 27 were women, and the median patient age was 64.5, according to a Sept.18 epidemiology report.
Of this year’s cases, about 90 people were diagnosed with a neuroinvasive disease, a co...