West Nile Virus Remains a Concern in Suffolk

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The West Nile virus continues to show up in mosquitoes sampled by the Department of Health as two cases of the potentially fatal infection have been reported in Suffolk. Officials warn residents to limit exposure to the vectors that carry the disease and take precautions against mosquitoes if they must be in areas where they can be exposed.

One person who contracted West Nile lives in the Town of Southampton and the other is in Huntington. Both were hospitalized and are now recovering at home, the Suffolk County Health Department reported.

According to county Health Commissioner Gregson Pigott, 19 mosquito samples have tested positive for the virus over the last few weeks. Communities throughout the county are monitored, and to date, 31 mosquitos have been found to harbor the virus.

“The symptoms of West Nile virus may look like other conditions or health problems, which is why we advise residents who experience symptoms to see a health care provider,” Pigott said. “A lab test is needed to confirm the diagnosis.”

West Nile is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is most commonly spread to people through infected insects, with those over 60 and people with existing illnesses most at risk.

So far this year, the CDC’s Arbonet website reported 247 cases of West Nile in the U.S. among 27 states, mainly in the Southwest.

West Nile cases peak in the summer months when mosquitoes carrying the virus are most active. There are no vaccines to prevent infection or medications to treat the disease.

If contact with mosquitoes is unavoidable, people are urged to wear protective clothing and apply insect repellent containing at least 30% DEET.

Mosquito monitoring in Suffolk involves specialized traps and is conducted through a collaborative effort between the Department of Health Service’s Arthropod-Borne Disease Laboratory and the Fire Island National Seashore, where the vectors are more prevalent.

The health department also reported that the Jamestown Canyon virus was detected in a sampled mosquito, a disease with similar symptoms to West Nile.

Weekly surveillance will continue throughout the summer to monitor the severity and extent of the virus, officials said.