Denenberg Hosts West Nile Virus Q & A

With mosquito season still upon us, Legislator Dave Denenberg held a community meeting recently for residents to discuss the West Nile Virus, mosquito spraying, and any related health and safety concerns thereof.

The meeting, held at Newbridge Road School, was plagued by just one problem: only two people showed up.

The lack of attendance was odd, considering this was Nassau's worst West Nile Virus year ever, with 40 reported cases and three deaths thus far.

Denenberg, while surprised by the turnout, nonetheless proceeded with business as usual.

"You try to do a public meeting on what I think is a very important topic; sometimes people come, sometimes they don't," he said. "But even if it's just two people here, this is an important meeting."

Denenberg invited Dr. Lawrence Eisenstein, deputy commissioner of the Nassau County Department of Health, to speak at the meeting.

"This has been a very active year for West Nile Virus," said Dr. Eisenstein. "We just want to educate our residents on the disease and the measures that we've taken to protect them."

West Nile is a virus that's existed for thousands of years and is commonly spread by mosquitoes.

Until 1999, it was unheard of on Long Island, but since it's appearance, Nassau County has taken many steps to keep it under control.

"We have 42 mosquito traps set up in a grid, about a mile and a half apart from each other," Denenberg stated. "We test the mosquitoes in each one, and if they're positive for West Nile, we spray that area."

The sole residents to attend the meeting, Heidi and Richard Lockett, were concerned over the possible harm mosquito spraying might be having on themselves and the environment.

"I'm worried that trees and animals are getting poisoned," Heidi said. "Then the pesticide gets into the ground and into the water we drink. People should be aware of what they're spraying."

Dr. Eisenstein responded that the concentration of the pesticide they use, Resmethrin, is very low, and completely bio-degrades within minutes. In the years they've been spraying, the department of health has had zero health complaints.

"We don't look forward to spraying," said Eisenstein. "It's something that we only do when we feel backed into a corner and face a huge health problem."

"We're in direct contrast to New York City and Suffolk County," Denenberg added. "They've done aerial spraying virtually every year since 1999."

An important anti-mosquito tip: remove any sources of stagnant water from your property, which they use as breeding grounds. Even a clogged gutter can host scores of mosquitoes.

"I've been holding West Nile meetings since I took office in 2000," Denenberg said. "It's important that people are informed on how to keep safe."