Community Corner

West Nile Found in Commack

Mosquito samples test positive for virus; County continuing to spray.

Just days after the first human case of West Nile virus was confirmed in Suffolk County this year, health officials said Monday that 19 additional mosquito samples tested positive for the virus, including a sample in Commack.

The positive samples announced this week were detected between Aug. 9-11 in Commack and neighboring towns including Huntington Station, Greenlawn, Northport, East Northport, West Babylon and Dix Hills.

Other samples were found in Holbrook, Holtsville, North Patchogue, Selden, Ridge, Lindenhurst, Port Jefferson Station, Bay Shore, Copiague and Aquebogue. A total of 50 mosquito samples in Suffolk County have tested positive for the virus so far, the health department said.

Find out what's happening in Commackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“The confirmation of West Nile virus in a mosquito pool indicates that the virus is actively circulating within the mosquito population,” said Dr. James Tomarken, commissioner of Suffolk County Health Services. “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.”

According to Tomarken, 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 age or older, or those with compromised immune systems, who are most at risk, are urged to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.

On Aug. 18, the county health department confirmed the first human case of West Nile this year. In that case, an adult younger than age 55 from the Town of Huntington, experienced fever, chills, body aches and swollen lymph nodes starting early this month and lasting five days. The unidentified individual was not hospitalized and has fully recovered.

Find out what's happening in Commackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Three people in Suffolk and three in Nassau in 2010 after being infected with the virus. 


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 in good repair.

To control the adult mosquito population, the Suffolk County Department of Public Works is planning to treat sections of the following communities:

Aug. 24, 7:30 – 11:30 p.m.

Approximate location(s): West Babylon, Lindenhurst, Copiague and Amityville

Sites to be treated: – All streets in an area bounded on the south by Montauk Highway, on the west by Broadway and Route 110, on the north by the Southern State Parkway and on the east by Little East Neck Road.

Method of Treatment: Aerial spraying - Ultra Low Volume Aerosol

Name of Pesticide: Scourge (resmethrin)

Use the following contacts for more information on mosquitoes and West Nile:

To report mosquito problems or stagnant pools of water, call the Department of Public Works’ 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.


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