"The state's Department of Public Health recently announced that 2014 was a record year for potentially dangerous mosquito-borne West Nile virus cases, and some mosquito-control experts are concerned about the effect that warm weather and drought will have on mosquitos in 2015.

Given that the parasitic insects like to lay their eggs in water, it may be tempting to assume that California's severe, 4-year-old drought would make the mosquito problem better, not worse. But there are many aspects to the drought that are seen exacerbating the problem."

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The 2013-2015 continuing education cycle ends June 30, 2015.  Technicians must earn all required CE units by the end of the cycle for recertification.  The minimum CEU requirement is twelve Category A units and eight units each in categories B, C, and D, where applicable.  Please remember that there is a live-unit requirement for recertification.  Each technician needs to earn four Category A live units and two units each in categories B, C, and D. Webinars do not count as live units.   

West Nile virus dead bird testing and the WNV Dead Bird Hotline began on April 15, 2015. 

Live calls are being answered (1-877-WNV-BIRD) and online reports are being responded to (www.westnile.ca.gov). 

Agencies can bypass the message options by calling the agency line at (510-412-4601). This will connect you to the hotline operators. If you need to enter a dead bird report and obtain a dead bird number, please use the Gateway.