More West Nile Mosquitoes Found

Written by Leah Bush

Mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus were found recently around Northport, the Suffolk County Department of Health said Friday.

The mosquito samples, all Culex pipiens-restuans, were collected on July 30 and July 31, from areas in Huntington (1), South Huntington (1), Greenlawn (4), East Northport (1), Northport (2), Dix Hills (2), Copiague (1), West Babylon (1), North Babylon (1), Nesconset (4), Brentwood (1), Bay Shore (1), Oakdale (1), West Islip (1), Holbrook (1), Holtsville (1), Selden (1), Farmingville (1), Mastic Beach(1), Yaphank (1) and Mattituck (1).

To date this year, 69 mosquito samples and four birds have tested positive for West Nile virus. No humans or horses have tested positive for West Nile virus in Suffolk County this year.

“The confirmation of West Nile virus in a mosquito pool indicates that the virus is actively circulating within the mosquito population,” said Commissioner James Tomarken Tomarken. “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.”

West Nile virus, first detected in birds and mosquito samples in Suffolk County in 1999 and again each year thereafter through 2012, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.