6 more W. Nile positive mosquito samples

Six more Suffolk County mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus, bringing the count this year to eight, health department officials said Friday.

The six samples were collected July 2 and 3 in Farmingville, Nesconset, Amagansett, Northport and Dix Hills, according to a news release from the Suffolk County Department of Heath Services.

State and Suffolk health department officials earlier confirmed the virus in mosquito samples taken June 28 in West Babylon and June 20 from Gardiner County Park in Islip, as well as in a dead crow picked up June 27 in Northport.

"The confirmation of West Nile virus in a mosquito pool indicates that the virus is actively circulating within the mosquito population," Dr. James Tomarken, Suffolk County Health Services commissioner, said in a news release issued Friday. "While there is no cause for alarm, we urge residents to cooperate with us in our efforts to contain the spread of the virus, which can be debilitating to humans."

So far, no mosquito samples in Nassau County have tested positive for the virus, and the county continues active surveillance of its mosquito traps, said a spokeswoman for the county's health department.

People become infected through the bite of an infected mosquito, which is why health officials advise eliminating stagnant water around homes where mosquitoes breed.

That includes disposing of any containers that can hold water, removing discarded tires, unclogging roof gutters and turning over wading pools and wheel barrows when not being used.

To report dead birds in Suffolk that may indicate the presence of West Nile virus, call 631-787-2200, officials said. To report mosquito problems or stagnant pools in Suffolk, call 631-852-4270. More information is available at www.suffolkcountyny.gov/health.