Mosquitoes in Aquebogue, Manorville test positive for West Nile virus

Mosquito samples collected two weeks ago from Aquebogue and Manorville tested positive for the West Nile virus, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services said today. 

Forty mosquito samples collected across the county on July 16 and 17, including two from Aquebogue and two from Manorville, tested positive for the virus. which can be transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, the county agency said in a press release. Another mosquito sample collected on July 10 from Manorville also tested positive for the virus, the health department said.

Other samples that tested positive were from Cold Spring Harbor (1), Northport (3), Melville (6), Greenlawn (1), Dix Hills (3), West Babylon (1), Lindenhurst (1), West Islip (1), Setauket (3), Port Jefferson Station (2), Mount Sinai (1), Smithtown (1), Commack (1), Nesconset (1), Bay Shore (1) Holbrook (1), Brentwood (2), Islip (1), Farmingville (1), Holtsville (2) and North Patchogue (1).

Two birds also tested positive for West Nile virus: a Blue Jay collected on July 17 from Selden and a Mallard collected on July 25 from Smithtown. Suffolk County has reported 72 mosquito samples positive for West Nile virus this season. No human cases of West Nile virus have been reported this season. 

The health department previously reported that mosquitoes collected on July 9 and 10, including one from Riverhead and one from Aquebogue, tested positive for the virus.

West Nile virus was first detected in bird and mosquito samples in Suffolk County in 1999 and have been detected every year since. The virus is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and most people infected with the virus experience mild or no symptoms, the press release states. However, some people can develop severe symptoms — including high fever, headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis — which may last several weeks and have permanent neurological effects/

Individuals can avoid mosquito bites by minimizing outdoor activities between dusk and dawn; wearing shoes and socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts when mosquitoes are active; using mosquito repellent; and making sure all windows and doors have screens, Pigott said. People 50 years or older and people with compromised immune systems are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

Dead birds may indicate the presence of the West Nile virus in the area, the health department said. Report dead birds to the Bureau of Public Health Protection at 631-852-5999 from 9 a.m. to 4 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.

Last year, the county had 99 positive mosquito samples and five human cases of the virus, according to the county health department. Suffolk County has reported 32 mosquito samples positive for West Nile virus this season.