West Nile virus has been detected in New York City mosquitoes for the first time this mosquito season, but no human cases have been reported, the health department said Monday.
The infected mosquitoes were collected June 12 from Prince's Bay on Staten Island. Health officials said they would set up more mosquito traps and perform additional treatments to curb the growth of the mosquito populations.
To protect against being bit, health officials advise New Yorkers to wear bug repellent and cover arms and legs when outside at dawn or dusk. Any standing water in buckets or planters or other similar items that are outdoors should be removed, and residents can call 311 if they need assistance with water removal.
Though there has yet to be a human case of West Nile this season, they generally occur every year in the city, mostly from July through October. Not everyone infected will become ill, but West Nile can cause flu-like symptoms like headache, fever, fatigue and weakness, and sometimes serious complications, including neurological disease.
Health officials say they are also aggressively monitoring mosquitoes for the Zika virus, which to date has not been detected in mosquitoes in the city.
