Politics & Government

Lindenhurst Mosquitoes Test Positive for West Nile

Suffolk health officials say mosquito samples from Lindenhurst are among the latest samples that tested positive for the virus.

West Nile Virus has been detected in , according to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

The presence of the virus was confirmed on Wednesday by the SCDHS after five additional mosquito from , Copiague, Mastic Beach, Port Jefferson Station and Huntington tested positive for it.

Last month health officials announced mosquitoes in tested positive for the virus, the on Long Island this year.

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The positive mosquito samples were collected on July 27 and 28 by the SCDHS’ Public Health Division.

A total of 10 mosquito samples collected in Suffolk County this season have tested positive for the virus, said Suffolk health officials in a press release, and, to date, eight birds – three blue jays and five crows – have tested positive for WNV in Suffolk this year.

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Last year three people in Suffolk and three in Nassau after being infected with the virus. However, no humans and no horses have tested positive for the virus in the county this year, assured the SCDHS in the same release.

“The confirmation of West Nile Virus in a mosquito pool indicates that the virus is actively circulating within the mosquito population,” said Dr. James Tomarken, Suffolk health commissioner, in the release. “While there’s no cause for alarm, we urge residents to cooperate with us in our to the spread of the virus, which can be debilitating to humans.”

West Nile Virus – first detected in Suffolk County in 1999 and again each year through 2011 – is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.

To reduce the mosquito population around homes, residents should eliminate stagnant water, where mosquitoes lay their eggs. This includes:

  • Disposing cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers.
  • Removing discarded tires on the property.
  • Ensuring roof gutters drain properly, and cleaning clogged gutters.
  • Turning over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
  • Changing the water in birdbaths.
  • Cleaning vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds, and keeping shrubs and grass trimmed.
  • Cleaning and chlorinating swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs.
  • Draining water from pool covers.

Most people infected with 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’re 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 outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active.
  • Use mosquito repellent when outdoors, following label directions carefully.
  • Be certain all windows and doors have screens, and that screens are in good repair.

Dead birds found on area properties may indicate the presence of West Nile Virus in the area. To report dead birds call the at 631-787-2200, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.

To report mosquito problems or stagnant pools of water, call the Department of Public WorksVector Control Division at 631-852-4270.

For medical questions related to West Nile Virus, call 631-853-3055.

For further information about West Nile Virus, visit the SCDHS website.


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