West Nile Aerial Spraying Complete in Bellmore

Aerial spraying to combat West Nile virus is finished in parts of Bellmore and North Bellmore, according to county health officials.

Through Wednesday night, the county sprayed an area north of Sunrise Highway up to Jericho Turnpike and from the Queens border to the Suffolk County border. 

The spraying comes after recent surveillance data has demonstrated an increased threat of West Nile, county health officials said. 

Mosquito pools in neighboring Wantagh and Merrick tested positive for West Nile both last month and a few days ago. According to the health department, this brings the total to 71 mosquito pools positive in Nassau County this year. This is the highest number reported in any year since West Nile virus surveillance began in 1999.

There have been two confirmed cases in the county of West Nile in humans this year–a 66-year-old New Hyde Park woman, who became ill on July 5, and a 74-year-old Massapequa Park woman, who became sick on July 28–according to county health officials. Both women are now recovering at home.

Residents are urged to continue to take these precautions for safety and protection:

• Remove or empty standing water from children's outdoor toys, flower pots, garbage cans, pails, old tires, or any object that can hold water.
• Make sure roof gutters drain properly; clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall.
• Keep swimming pools chlorinated and their covers free of stagnant water.
• Change the water in birdbaths every two or three days.
• Install window and door screens and keep them in good repair.
• Consider wearing long sleeves, pants, socks and mosquito repellent (according to directions) if outdoors when mosquitoes are active, especially in the late afternoon and evening hours.
• Decorative ponds and water features should be circulated or chlorinated if they do not contain fish to prevent mosquito breeding. 

One Bellmore Patch reader shared recently some bug spray repellent techniques.

"I spray it on my clothes and hair rather than my skin. And I avoid hands, which tend to gravitate to faces and food. I also spray under the chair if I am sitting outside."

If you're interested in "greening" your insect protection, be sure to check out The Go Green Gal's latest column on natural mosquito repellents.

For mosquito, stagnant water, or drainage problems, call the Nassau County Department of Public Works at 572-1166, weekdays from 7:45 a.m to 3:30 p.m.