West Nile Virus Found in Mosquitoes at 3 Suffolk County Parks

Evening activities at three Suffolk County parks have been suspended on Thursday after mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus were found, according to the Suffolk County Health Department.

Mosquito samples taken on August 3 and 4 from Blydenburgh County Park in Smithtown, Connetquot State Park in Oakdale, and Girl Scout Day Camp Sobaco in Yaphank also tested positive for the virus.

Suffolk County health officials have contacted park administrators and advised them to suspend activities in the parks between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. when the Culex pipiens-restuans mosquito is most active.

In addition to those three samples, mosquito samples collected on July 27 from Jamesport and on August 3 and August 4 from Copiague, West Babylon, Selden, Setauket, Aquebogue, Huntington Station, Northport, Melville, Holbrook, and Holtsville all tested positive for West Nile virus.

No humans or horses have tested positive for West Nile virus in Suffolk County this year.

“It is important for residents to know that New York State is testing mosquitoes not only for West Nile virus but also for Zika virus, and to date this year, no mosquito samples in New York State have tested positive for Zika virus,” Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. James L. Tomarken said. “However, we don’t know what may happen in the future, so we encourage residents to maintain their homes and yards and to continually eliminate standing water where mosquitoes may breed.”