The year’s first case of West Nile virus at a popular New York beach and campground has been detected, officials said Friday.
The virus was found in a mosquito sample collected from a trap set at Watch Hill at Fire Island National Seashore, a 30-mile-long barrier island off Long Island, the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) said.
Watch Hill is a popular camping spot on federal land between Davis Park and the Fire Island Wilderness, and the trap was part of a collaborative mosquito monitoring program between NPS and Suffolk County Department of Health Services – Arthropod-Borne Disease Laboratory.
West Nile Virus was first confirmed in New York State in 1999 – the same year the virus first entered the U.S. The virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the country, per the CDC.
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The mosquito sample that tested positive for West Nile Virus was found in a trap at Watch Hill, a campground at the Seashore, officials said. (National Park Service)
The virus is transmitted to humans most commonly through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash, although a vast majority — around 80% — of the people who contract WNV will not experience any symptoms. There are no vaccines or treatments for the virus.
Fire Island National Seashore is a 30-mile-long, half-mile-wide barrier island off Long Island, New York. (National Park Service)
More than 1,800 people were hospitalized with the virus last year in the U.S., leading to 182 deaths, per CDC data.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the public face of the U.S. coronavirus pandemic response, was hospitalized earlier this month with the West Nile virus, a spokesperson for Fauci told Fox News on Saturday. Fauci, 83, later returned home where he was recovering, and is expected to make a full recovery, the spokesperson said.
Officials advised visitors to avoid areas heavily populated with mosquitoes and to wear clothing that covers the body, such as pants, socks and long-sleeved shirts. (National Park Service)
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Meanwhile, the NPS and Suffolk County will continue the weekly mosquito surveillance program to monitor the severity and extent of the virus within the Seashore. Watch Hill will also receive increased surveillance.
Control methods such as larviciding, spraying or area closures may occur if any threats to human health are identified, the NPS said.
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Park officials said that those visiting Fire Island National Seashore should avoid areas with high volumes of mosquitoes, wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, socks, and long pants, and use insect repellent containing at least 30% DEET.
Fox Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
