Fourteen Mosquito Samples Test Positive for West Nile Virus

Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott announced today that fourteen mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus. The samples, all Culex pipiens-restuans species, were collected in Nesconset (1), Northport (1), Dix Hills (3), Melville (4), Lindenhurst (1), West Babylon (1), St. James (1), Rocky Point (1) and Holtsville (1) on July 16, 2025.

To date this season, Suffolk County has reported 15 mosquito samples testing positive for West Nile virus and four mosquito samples testing positive for Jamestown Canyon virus. No birds have tested positive for West Nile virus this season.

West Nile virus, first detected in birds and mosquito samples in Suffolk County in 1999 and again each year thereafter, is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. Suffolk County 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 on our website: https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/Health-Services/Public-Health/Preventive-Services/Arthropod-borne-Diseases/Mosquitoes

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

Dr. Pigott offers 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.

Dead birds may indicate the presence of West Nile virus in the area. To report dead birds, call the Bureau of Public Health Protection at 631-852-5999 from 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Residents are encouraged to take a photograph of any bird in question. To report mosquito problems or stagnant pools of water, call the Department of Public Works’ Vector Control Division at 631-852-4270.

For further information on West Nile virus, visit the Department of Health Services’ website.

“Mosquito activity is picking up with the warmer weather and with it comes the risk of being exposed to West Nile virus,” said Dr. Pigott. “While there is no cause for alarm, we advise residents to take precautions and cooperate with us in our efforts to reduce exposure to mosquito-borne diseases.”

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