West Nile Found Near Half Hollow Hills

West Nile Virus hit the Half Hollow Hills area last week, according to the Suffolk County health officials.

James Tomarken, Commissioner for the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) said on Thursday, July 28 that state health officials confirmed two additional mosquito samples tested positive for the virus. One was found in Deer Park and the other in Ronkonkoma.

The positive samples were mosquitos collected on July 20, by the SCDHS’ Public Health Division. A total of five samples collected in Suffolk County this season have tested positive for the virus.

West Nile virus, which was first detected in Suffolk County in 1999 and again each year there after, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. No humans, horses or birds have tested positive for West Nile virus in Suffolk so far this year.

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

To reduce the mosquito population around homes, residents should try to eliminate stagnant water where mosquitoes breed by following these instructions:

Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar water-holding containers.

• Remove all discarded tires on the property.
• Make sure roof gutters drain properly, and clean clogged gutters.
• Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
• Change the water in birdbaths.
• Clean vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds and keep shrubsand grass trimmed.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs.
• Drain water from pool covers.

Tomarken said 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 ageor older, or those with compromised immune systems, who are most at risk, are urged totake 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.
• Make sure all windows and doors have screens, and that all screens are ingood repair.

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

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

For medical questions related to West Nile virus, call 631-853-3055. For further information on West Nile virus, visit the Department of Health Services’ website at www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health.