Aquebogue Mosquito Sample Tests Positive for West Nile

AQUEBOGUE, NY — A mosquito sample in Aquebogue has tested positive for the West Nile virus, authorities said.

Suffolk County Health Services Commissioner James L. Tomarken announced Saturday that 19 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus.

The samples, all /Culex pipiens-restuans, /were taken form July 27 to July 8; 19 tested positive, including Aquebogue, as well as Northport, Farmingville, Selden, Port Jefferson, Stony Brook, Setauket, Bay Shore, Nesconset, Holtsville and Greenlawn.

West Nile virus, first detected in birds and mosquitoes in Suffolk County in 1999 and again each year since, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. No humans or horses have tested positive for West Nile virus in Suffolk County this year; total of four birds have tested positive this year, a release said.

“The confirmation of West Nile virus in mosquito samples or birds indicates the presence of West Nile virus in the area,” said Dr. Tomarken. “While there is no cause for alarm, we advise residents to
cooperate with us in our efforts to reduce the exposure to the virus, which can be debilitating to humans.”

According to Dr. Tomarken, most people infected with West Nile virus will experience mild or no symptoms, but some can develop severe symptoms including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis, the release said.

The symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent., the release said; individuals, especially those 50 years of age or older, or those with compromised immune systems,
who are most at risk, are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

To avoid mosquito bites, residents are advised to:

Minimize outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.

Wear shoes and socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts when
mosquitoes are active.

Use mosquito repellent, following label directions carefully.

Make sure all windows and doors have screens, and that all screens are in good repai

Keep mosquitoes from laying eggs inside and outside of your home.

Once a week,, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out
containers that hold water, such as vases, pet water bowls, flowerpot
saucers, discarded tires, buckets, pool covers, birdbaths, trash cans
and rain barrels, the release said.

To learn more about mosquito protection, click here.

Dead birds may indicate the presence of West Nile virus in the area, the release said.

To report dead birds, call the Public Health Information Line in Suffolk County at 631-787-2200 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Residents are encouraged to take a photograph of any
bird in question.

To report mosquito problems or stagnant pools of water, call the Department of Public Works’ Vector Control Division at 631-852-4270. For further information on West Nile virus, visit the Department of
Health Services’ website here.

.