West Nile Virus Detected In Manhattan: Here's Where

CENTRAL PARK, NY — Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been detected in Central Park and a portion of the Upper West Side, city health officials said.

According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, no human cases of the virus have been reported in New York City so far, despite the fact that the virus has been detected in nearly twice as many mosquito pools as this time last year.

Subscribe

The Upper West Side ZIP code that tested positive for the virus in mosquitoes is 10025, known as Manhattan Valley, and stretches from West 96th Street up to West 110th Street.

"Our system allows us to identify where the virus is circulating early and take targeted action to reduce mosquito populations before more people are at risk," Alister Martin, the New York City health commissioner, said. "Now is the time for every New Yorker, especially older adults and people with weakened immune systems, to take simple precautions to prevent mosquito bites.

West Nile virus typically peaks in August and September and spreads to people through a bite from an infected mosquito, officials said.

Each week from June to October, health department staff collect pools of mosquitoes from hundreds of locations across the city to test them for the presence of the virus. Each pool has approximately 50 mosquitoes.

As of July 25, the health department found 612 pools where mosquitoes tested positive for the virus, up from 326 the year before.

A total of 2,040 pools have been tested this summer so far.

"The detection of West Nile virus in mosquitoes demonstrates that New York City's mosquito surveillance system is working exactly as intended," Martin said.

Due to the uptick in positive tests, the city will be setting additional mosquito traps and expanding its efforts to spray areas with larvicide and adulticide.

To keep New Yorkers safe from the virus, city officials recommend limiting time outside at dawn and dusk, keeping skin covered, and using bug spray.

City officials also recommend repairing window and door screens, as well as emptying any standing water — in birdbaths, flower pots, and gutters — at least once a week.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.