Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus found in pandemic-stricken New York City, leading to Health Department warning
MOSQUITOES infected with West Nile virus have been found in New York, a city already hit badly by the coronavirus pandemic.
The city’s warned of the on Tuesday, stating the mosquitoes were found in the Bronx and Staten Island.
“No human cases have been reported to date,” health officials wrote in a . “Mosquito season in typically spans from April through September.”
The Health Department said they’re “increasing mosquito surveillance in the surrounding area by installing additional mosquito monitoring traps.”
Right now, there are more than 53 mosquito surveillance sites throughout the Big Apple’s five boroughs.
The department said health officials use “an integrated management approach to control mosquitoes which can transmit West Nile virus.”
Where the virus is detected, pesticides will be sprayed to specifically target mosquitoes.
“The City will continue its efforts to kill mosquito larvae before they can bite by applying larvicide in catch basins, marshland, and other areas with standing water,” officials wrote.
The department said they’ve already started “catch basin larviciding” and said that a larviciding event using a helicopter was conducted this month in the marsh areas of Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx was conducted this month.”
Health Commissioner Dr Oxiris Barbot said in a statement: “ can take a few simple steps to protect themselves this summer, including by wearing insect repellent or covering their arms and legs.”
“We also encourage everyone to remove any standing water that may harbor mosquitoes or call 311 for standing water they cannot manage themselves.”
The virus, per the health department, was first found in New York City 21 years ago in 1999.
Since then, the number of cases in humans has ranged from three to 47 each year.
“Of the 353 West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease cases overall, 46 (13 percent) have died due to their infection,” according to health officials.
New York City has more than 40 species of mosquitoes, but West Nile virus is transmitted primarily through several Culex species, including Culex salinarius and Culex pipiens.
Culex mosquitoes were what was recently detected in the boroughs of Staten Island and the Bronx.
Symptoms of West Nile virus generally include fever and flu-like illness, but more severe illness can occur in rare cases.
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Around 80 percent of those infected have no symptoms at all, while some people, mainly older with weakened immune systems, can experience a fatal infection of the brain and spinal cord.
Last week, health officials in said the West Nile virus was detected in the state for the first time this year, it in .
And last month, health officials in reported at least 18 people were infected with the virus.