2 Mosquito Samples Test Positive For West Nile Virus In Suffolk

LONG ISLAND, NY — Two mosquito samples — one in Melville, the other in Cold Spring Harbor —taken on Sept. 2 tested positive for West Nile virus, Suffolk Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott said Tuesday.

To date, 129 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus, and four mosquito samples have tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus. One bird has tested positive for West Nile virus this season, and three people have tested positive for the virus.

West Nile virus, which was first detected in birds and mosquito samples in Suffolk in 1999, and each year since, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Suffolk reported 21 human cases of West Nile virus in 2024 and 5 in 2023. Nine people have died from West Nile virus since 2000.

More information about West Nile virus in Suffolk County can be found here.

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 can last several weeks, and neurological effects may be permanent.

People, especially those 50 years or older or those with compromised immune systems, are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

Pigott said that "as expected at this time of year, the number of mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus is dropping."

“Mosquitoes may continue to bite throughout the month of October, so residents, especially those over age 50, should continue to take precautions," he added.

Dr. Pigott offered the following tips to avoid mosquito bites:

• Minimize outdoor activities between dusk and dawn.
• Wear shoes and socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts when mosquitoes are active.
• Use mosquito repellent, following label directions carefully.
• Make sure all windows and doors have screens, and that all screens are in good repair.
• Keep mosquitoes from laying eggs inside and outside of your home. Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out containers that hold water, such as vases, pet water bowls, flowerpot saucers, discarded tires, buckets, pool covers, birdbaths, trash cans, and rain barrels.
• Download a copy of Suffolk County’s informational brochure “Get the Buzz on Mosquito Protection,” available in English and Spanish, and share it with your community.