BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- The first case of the West Nile virus in Kern County this year was confirmed by Kern County Public Health officials on Friday.

Officials could not discuss many details about the victim diagnosed, other than to say the person is an adult between the ages of 40 and 50. The confirmation was announced Friday, but the victim contracted the potentially deadly disease in August in Bakersfield.

During October, the re-testing was done and it showed there had been a recent infection of West Nile virus.

It is the first case of West Nile virus in Kern County this year, compared to 140 human cases in 2007, including four fatalities.

And while the disease has been aggressively fought by local agencies, Friday's announcement is proof that the disease is still here and still dangerous.

"The person did recall being bitten by mosquitoes and they spend a lot of times outdoors and they didn't particularly use any preventive issues like insect repellent, things like that," said Claudia Jonah, interim health officer of Kern County.

But that dramatic drop-off in human cases is due in part, said Public Health Director John Nilon, to people taking such preventive measures.

"It's through their efforts that we've made sure green pools are treated, that we report dead birds, that there's no standing water, that kids, parents and grandparents are wearing their mosquito repellant, they're not out at dusk and dawn," Nilon said. "All the things we've been speaking so much about, are being done. And I believe that's the key factor in why Kern County only has one human case of West Nile virus."

"We took a real aggressive approach this year," said Gene Abbott, superintendent of Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District. "We took aerial photographs early, to find those unserviced swimming pools and last year we treated about 865 unserviced swimming pools, this year so far we're over 2,000."

But despite all the efforts, the threat of West Nile virus is still very real.

"Even through we're not having a lot of activity," Jonah said. "There is evidence of infection in Kern County."

The human numbers are down, but the number of infected mosquitoes was much higher this year.

And the mosquitoes won't be going away until temperatures are steadily below 50 degrees.

As for the victim, he or she was never even hospitalized.

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