Mosquito and WNV activity in the city are rising this summer; a total of 1,068 WNV-positive mosquito pools have been located throughout the city, compared with 779 positive pools detected at this time last year, according to city health officials. This year, an average of 77 mosquitoes were caught in each trap per day, compared with 75 mosquitos per trap per day for the same period in 2021. Once trapped, a large number of mosquitoes are then tested in a single pooled sample or “pool.” If one or more of the tested mosquitos from the pool carries the WNV, it’s a positive pool.
West Nile Virus Has Caused 4 Deaths in U.S. So Far This Year
In the United States, illnesses spread by ticks, mosquitos, and fleas tripled between 2004 and 2016, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many experts, including those who published a paper in 2020 in Nature Immunology, believe at least some of the observed increases in these vector-borne diseases are caused by climate change and are likely to get worse in the coming decades. WNV is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States. It’s most often spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. Unfortunately, there are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people. The good news is the majority of people who are infected by the West Nile virus don’t get sick — only about 1 in 5 people who are infected develop flu-like symptoms, such as a fever and headache. Approximately 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness, which can include encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), meningitis (inflammation of the linking of the brain and spinal cord), or meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the brain and its surrounding membrane), according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. A total of 54 cases with four deaths have been reported in the United States this year, according to the CDC.
Ways to Protect Yourself From Mosquito Bites
“We are in the height of West Nile virus season, but there are things you can do to decrease your risk of being bitten,” said Ashwin Vasan, MD, PhD, commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. “Use an EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] registered insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, especially when outside at dusk and dawn when the types of mosquitoes that transmit WNV are most active,” he said. What’s an EPA-registered insect repellant? To get a product registered, a company must provide the agency with safety and efficacy data. If the product is EPA registered, it should have a registration number on the label. The EPA website also features a simple questionnaire that can help you determine which mosquito repellant best suits you or your child’s needs.
Make Your Yard Less Attractive to Mosquitos
If you seem to get bitten by a mosquito every time you step out in your yard, you may have a mosquito habitat nearby. Here are some EPA tips for removing it:
Eliminate standing water in rain gutters, old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any other container where mosquitoes can lay their eggs.Empty and change the water in bird baths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.If you have a swimming pool, keep the water treated and circulating.
