12 Samples Test Positive For West Nile Virus In Suffolk

PORT JEFFERSON, NY — Suffolk County officials reported on Friday that 12 mosquito samples tested positive for the West Nile virus — the first samples this summer season.

The samples, all Culex pipiens-restuans, were collected last Wednesday and Thursday.

One sample apiece tested positive in Port Jefferson Station, Setauket, Bay Shore, Dix Hills, Cold Spring Harbor, Melville, Copiague, Greenlawn, Commack, and Aquebogue. Two were positive in West Babylon.

Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott advised residents to take precautions.

“The confirmation of West Nile virus in mosquito samples indicates the presence of West Nile virus in the area,” he said. “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.”

The virus was first detected in birds and mosquito samples in Suffolk in 1999. It is transmitted to people by the bite of an infected mosquito.

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, Piggott said.

The symptoms may last several weeks, and the neurological effects may become permanent, according to the doctor.

Individuals, especially those 50 years or older, or those with compromised immune systems, who are most at risk, are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, he said.

Dr. Pigott 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, following 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 may indicate the presence of West Nile virus in the area. To report dead birds, call the Bureau of Public Health Protection at 631-852-5999 from 9 a.m. to 4 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.