Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. James Tomarken announced today that West Nile virus has been confirmed in a horse stabled in Watermill. The five-year-old mare was seen by a veterinarian on August 20 and died on August 21. The horse had not been immunized.
“Experimental studies have concluded that horses are dead-end hosts for West Nile virus, so this finding does not necessarily indicate an increased human risk for West Nile virus,” said Dr. Tomarken. “Health department staff is monitoring the Watermill area for mosquito activity and will report any finding of positive results for West Nile virus.
Horse owners are reminded to vaccinate their horses for West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus. Further recommendations to protect your horse include:
- Indoor stabling of horses from dusk to dawn. These are feeding times for mosquitoes.
- Consider the use of insecticide and repellants as recommended by your veterinarian
- Fly sheets may be used when horses are turned out.
In addition, four mosquito samples tested positive for West Nile virus.
The samples, all Culex salinarius, were collected on August 21 and August 23, 2018, from Lindenhurst (1), Rocky Point (1), Aquebogue (1), and Jamesport (1).
To date, the county has reported one horse, 93 mosquito samples and nine birds have tested positive for West Nile Virus. There are no human cases of West Nile virus in Suffolk County.
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. No humans or horses have tested positive for West Nile virus in Suffolk this year.
“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.
- 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 County’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 Public Health Information Line in Suffolk County 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 at http://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/HealthServices/PublicHealth/PreventiveServices/ArthropodborneDiseaseProgram/Mosquitoes.aspx
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