Four More Birds Found Carrying West Nile Virus
Four birds from Queens tested positive for the West Nile
virus, including two found in areas that have not been sprayed with pesticides,
the city's health department announced Friday.
An infected American Kestrel was found in Neponsit, and another in
Woodside. Neither area had been sprayed previously. The city announced plans to
spray them with Anvil, a pesticide, on Monday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., weather
permitting.
Additionally, one infected bluejay was found in Douglaston and another in
Alley Pond, two areas the city sprayed subsequent to finding the birds.
Staten Island, the worst-hit of the five boroughs so far this summer, also
racked up another infected dead bird and three more infected mosquito pools
yesterday. The total number of infected Staten Island birds is now 29, and the
infected mosquito pools there number 46.
So far only three known cases of the virus have been found in humans. The
three, all from Staten Island, were hospitalized for West Nile-related
illnesses but are now at home recovering.
Sandra Mullin, spokeswoman for the city Department of Health, warned people
not to turn complacent now that the summer is winding down. She noted how the
city had not become aware of West Nile until after Labor Day last year.
"We're in the height of the mosquito season," she said. "We feel this is an
important time for us to take action and for people to prepare."
In the office fielding phone calls at 7 p.m. Friday, Mullin admitted the
West Nile outbreak has affected the summer plans of health department
employees.
"A number of us are waiting for the summer to calm down before we take a
couple of weeks off," she said.
Friday night, the city planned to spray Prospect Park and Greenwood
Cemetery in Brooklyn. Areas within a two-mile radius of the cemetery are to be
sprayed Saturday night, weather permitting. Five infected birds from the
cemetery have been found.
The city also plans to spray from 23rd Street to 155th Street in Manhattan
Saturday night. Central Park will be sprayed early Tuesday morning.
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