Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott announced today that 18 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus. Of the samples, 17 were Culex pipiens-restuans collected from August 13--15, 2024, from Northport (2), Melville (1), Dix Hills (3), Rocky Point (1), Selden (2), Copiague (1), Lindenhurst (3), West Islip (1), Southold (1), Shelter Island (1) and Watch Hill on Fire Island (1).
One Culex salinarius was collected August 15 from Bay Shore (1).
To date this season, 175 mosquito samples and 5 birds have tested positive for West Nile virus. Five humans have been confirmed to have been infected with West Nile virus and are recovering.
West Nile virus, first detected in birds and mosquito samples in Suffolk County in 1999 and again each year thereafter, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The first human case of West Nile virus was confirmed in 2001. Since then, nearly 150 individuals have been confirmed to have contracted West Nile virus, and nine deaths were attributed to the virus.
“We suspect that many more Suffolk County residents may have been infected with West Nile virus but are not counted because they experienced mild symptoms, like headache or swollen glands, and didn’t seek medical attention,” said Dr. Pigott. “Severe symptoms are more likely to occur in older people, so we ask that cohort to be extra vigilant in avoiding mosquito bites and calling their medical providers promptly if they are feeling ill.”
Severe symptoms of West Nile virus include 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 or older or those with compromised immune systems, are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
Dr. Pigott offers 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.
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 4:00 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.
For further information on West Nile virus, visit the Department of Health Services’ website.
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