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The infected mosquitoes were collected from a trap in the Town of Orangetown during the week of Monday, Aug. 3 as part of the County's ongoing mosquito surveillance efforts, Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert announced Monday afternoon, Aug. 17.
No human cases have been reported this season.
"We typically expect to see a rise in West Nile Virus activity during the summer months, and this positive mosquito pool confirms that," said Ruppert.
- The first positive mosquito pool test in 2019 was the week of July 15.
- The first positive mosquito pool test in 2018 was the week of June 29.
- The first positive mosquito pool test in 2017 was the week of June 19.
- The first positive mosquito pool test in 2016 was the week of July 10.
a bite from a West Nile Virus-infected mosquito can cause serious illness, and in some cases, death.
Although a person's chances of getting sick are small, those aged 50 and older are at the highest risk for serious illness.
However, most mosquitoes do not test positive for disease-causing viruses.
Not everyone infected with West Nile Virus will become ill. But West Nile can cause serious complications, including neurological diseases, and can also cause a milder flu-like illness, including fever, headache and body aches, nausea, and occasionally a skin rash and swollen lymph glands.
If you think you have symptoms of West Nile Virus, see your doctor right away.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs on or near areas of standing water, and their offspring "grow up" in the water before emerging as adults that fly and bite.
Many types of mosquitoes, including those that can spread disease, prefer areas of stagnant (still) water found around the home such as in birdbaths, bottle caps, unused flowerpots, discarded tires, as well as in small ponds or other bodies of stagnant water.
"Health Department mosquito control teams will continue to visit all known mosquito breeding sites, including sites near this positive mosquito pool. Larval control activities will continue throughout the summer," said Ruppert.
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