Residents are
advised to eliminate standing water in and around homes
Suffolk County Health Services
(SCDHS) Commissioner James L. Tomarken announced today that five mosquito
samples have tested positive for West Nile virus. The samples, all Culex
pipiens-restuans, were
collected on July 12 and July 13, 2016, in Huntington Station (1), Northport
(2), Holtsville (1) and Selden (1). The county has now confirmed six
cases of West Nile virus in mosquitoes. The first case, reported on July 8,
2016, was collected in Northport on June 30, 2016.
West Nile virus, first detected in birds and mosquitoes in Suffolk County in 1999 and again each
year thereafter, 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. One bird, collected in Yaphank, has tested positive for West Nile virus.
“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.
- 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.
- Help get the word out. Download
a copy of “Get the Buzz on Mosquito Protection,” 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 Public Health Information Line in Suffolk
County at 631-787-2200 from 9 a.m.
to 4:30 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 at www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health.
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