He's used to dealing with news crews but a San Diego County public information officer is the center of the story after contracting the West Nile virus.
Bill Polick, 62, said the incident started after a day of yard work. The next thing he knew he had a rash, which progressed to flu-like symptoms. Soon after that, he was rushed to the emergency room.
"I thought I had done everything I could to protect myself - made sure I didn't have standing water around my property, kept my pool clean. But I still got the virus, and trust me, you do not want this to happen to you," he said.
Polick does not remember his hospital stay. There is no treatment for the virus, just a slow recovery. He said he's already lost 30 pounds since his diagnosis.
Polick is one of three new patients announced by the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency this week. So far, 26 people have been infected with the virus and 511 dead birds have tested positive for the virus. The county has located 38 areas where mosquitos have tested positive.
To learn more about how to prevent and detect West Nile virus, visit SDFightthebite.com.
