18 New Mosquito Samples Test Positive For West Nile Virus

EAST END, NY — A total of 18 new mosquito samples have tested positive, with 10 on the East End — and residents and visitors are being asked to take precautions, officials said.

According to Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. James Tomarken, the samples — Culex pipiens-restuans, Culex salinarius, Aedes albopictus, and Culiseta melanura — were collected between Aug. 13 and Aug. 19.

Of the Culex pipiens-restuans collected, three were found in Aquebogue, one in Jamesport, one in Southold, four in Bridgehampton, one in East Hampton, one in West Babylon, one in North Babylon, one in Islip, one in Port Jefferson Station, and one in Huntington.

One Culex salinarius was collected in West Babylon, one Aedes albopictus was collected in West Islip, and one Culiseta melanura was collected in Southold, officials said.

To date, the county has reported that 89 mosquito samples and nine birds have tested positive for West Nile virus. There are no human cases of West Nile virus in Suffolk County, Suffolk County officials said.

West Nile virus, first detected in birds and mosquito samples in Suffolk County in 1999 and again each year since, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. No humans or horses have tested positive for West Nile virus in Suffolk this year, Dr. Tomarken said.

“The confirmation of West Nile virus in mosquito samples or birds indicates the presence of West Nile virus in the area,” said Dr. Tomarken. “While there is no cause for alarm, we advise residents to cooperate with us in our efforts to reduce the exposure to the virus, which can be debilitating to humans.”

According to Dr. Tomarken, 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. The symptoms may last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent. Individuals, especially those 50 years of age or older, or those with compromised immune systems, who are most at risk, are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

To avoid mosquito bites, residents are advised to 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; and ownload a copy of Suffolk County’s brochure “Get the Buzz on Mosquito Protection,” available in English and Spanish.

To keep mosquitoes from laying eggs inside and outside of the 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.

Dead birds may indicate the presence of West Nile virus in the area. To report dead birds, call the Suffolk County public health information line at 631-852-5999 from 9 a.m. to 4:00 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.

Patch file photo.