West Nile Found In 9 Samples In Suffolk County

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Nine mosquito samples throughout Suffolk County tested positive for West Nile Virus, Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott said Friday.

One Culex salinarius sample was collected in Rocky Point on Aug. 3, while the remaining samples, all Culex pipiens-restuans, were collected from Aug. 3 - 4 in Farmingdale, Smithtown, Holbrook, Rocky Point, Stony Brook, West Islip, and Greenlawn, according to Pigott.

Two crows also tested positive for the virus, Pigott said, adding, that 25 mosquito samples and two birds have tested positive to date this season.

Dr. Pigott said the confirmation of the West Nile virus in mosquito samples and birds indicates its presence “in the area.”

“While there is no cause for alarm, we advise residents to cooperate with us in our efforts to reduce exposure to West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases,” he said.

The virus, which was first detected in birds and mosquito samples in Suffolk in 1999 and again each year thereafter, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.

Most people infected with the virus will experience mild or no symptoms, but others can develop severe symptoms including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness, and paralysis.

The symptoms can last several weeks, but the neurological effects may be permanent. People over 50 years of age or older, or with compromised immune systems, who are most at risk, are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

The commissioner offered the following tips to avoid mosquito bites:

• Minimize outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.
• Wear shoes and socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts when mosquitoes are active.
• Use mosquito repellent and follow label directions carefully.
• Make sure all windows and doors have screens, and that all screens are in good repair.

• 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.
• Download a copy of Suffolk’s informational brochure, “Get the Buzz on Mosquito Protection,” available in English and Spanish, and share it with your community.

Dead birds can indicate the presence of the virus in the area. To report them, call the Bureau of Public Health Protection at 631-852-5999 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Residents are also encouraged to take photographs 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 the West Nile virus, visit the Department of Health Services’ website.