The Orion

Small bugs, big consequences

Matt Ball, District Manager at the Butte County Public Health Department, discusses the severity of West Nile virus in the Butte County area. (Photo Courtesy of Matt Ball).

Sarah Strausser

August 24, 2015

There have been 30 confirmed cases of West Nile virus in Butte county, the highest of any county in the state. Butte County has had an "epidemic level" of cases reported, according to Matt Ball, the district manager at the Butte County Public Health Department. There are now 57 confirmed cases of West Nile in California alone and more than half of these cases have been reported in Butte county.With Butte county having such a high volume of mosquitoes carrying West Nile, education on the subject can benefit the hea...