2 Queens residents reported to have contracted West Nile virus

Two Queens residents are known to have contracted West Nile virus, New York City health officials said Friday.

One person was diagnosed with West Nile neuroinvasive disease and is undergoing hospital treatment for encephalitis — a brain infection, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The other person was determined to have West Nile fever and was released from a hospital after a brief stay, officials said.

West Nile virus, which is typically transmitted through a mosquito bite, was also identified in blood donations from one Staten Island resident and a Brooklyn resident, state and local officials said. Two other Brooklyn residents were also reported to possibly have caught West Nile virus disease. Those cases are under investigation.

Although most people infected with West Nile have no symptoms, some individuals develop symptoms that include muscle aches and extreme fatigue, officials said. Roughly 1 in 150 people who are infected develop West Nile neuroinvasive disease, which is a life-threatening condition that can affect a person’s mental status and lead to muscle weakness, officials said.

The number of people diagnosed with West Nile neuroinvasive disease in New York City averaged 31 a year from 2022 to 2024. In Suffolk County, human transmission of the virus has not yet been reported in 2025, county officials said Sunday.  

“West Nile virus can cause serious illness, especially among people over 55 and with weakened immune systems,” acting Health Commissioner Dr. Michelle Morse said in a statement. 

In New York City, nearly 990 mosquito pools have tested positive for West Nile as of Friday, officials said. In Suffolk, at least 20 mosquito samples tested positive for the virus, including in places such as Dix Hills and West Babylon, officials there said.

Health experts are urging people to take several precautions including wearing mosquito repellent and getting rid of standing water.

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith is a general assignment reporter for Newsday. She previously worked at USA TODAY and is an alum of Howard University.