YONKERS, N.Y. Westchester Countys first discovery of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus this season prompted a Yonkers legislator to call for heightened vigilance of mosquitos and their larvae.
Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins (D-Yonkers) urged the county Health Department to increase inspections of stormwater drains and larvicide treatments after a batch of mosquitoes tested positive for the virus late last week.
The discovery also prompted Jenkins to criticize County Executive Rob Astornio for cutting back the Health Departments budget in 2011.
Last year, the number of inspections and larvicide applications were reduced sharply from the previous year because of funding cuts by the Astorino Administration, and this short-sighted approach could lead to deadly consequence, Jenkins said in a news release Friday.
The legislator said more than $50,000 in funding cuts forced the Health Department to apply larvicide treatment, which prevents larvae from developing into adult mosquitoes, to 23,000 fewer catch basins than it did the year before. He added that Westchester residents are right to worry whether enough effort has been made by the Department of Health to fight the problem before human cases develop.
When you cut costs in areas that pertain to public safety and much needed programs that deal with health issues, there must be some accountability if the well-being of our residents is then jeopardized, Jenkins said. Taxpayers want smart spending, but they also expect smart public health and safety measures.
West Nile virus, first identified more than 70 years ago in Africa, became a major health issue in 1999 when it was discovered in New York. It has since spread throughout the United States.
The disease caused by the West Nile virus is most common during August and early September, when mosquitoes are abundant.
The disease can have serious consequences for the young or old and people with existing health conditions, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Less serious symptoms can include flu-like conditions, including headaches, nausea and sore throats.
In an earlier release Friday, county Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler said 32 batches of mosquitoes tested positive for the virus last year, the first of which was discovered in August.
Last year there were also three reported cases of humans infected with the West Nile virus in Westchester County. In nearby Long Island, a 70-year-old Nassau County man died from the disease.
We expect to find mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus at about this time, so we hope confirmation of their presence reminds residents to take precautions, Amler said.
While there have been no reported human cases of West Nile Virus in Westchester County, positive mosquito pools have now been found in Westchester, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk counties and in Queens and on Staten Island.
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