New York City health officials are intensifying mosquito-response efforts after a sharp rise in West Nile virus activity.
What's happening?
According to BK Reader, as of late July, the city had identified 612 West Nile-positive mosquito pools out of 2,040 tested. That figure marks a huge increase from the 326 positive pools out of the same number tested during the same time period in 2024.
Still, the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene says no human infections have been reported. In New York City, BK Reader reported, the virus is usually found from June through October, and human cases most often peak in August and September.
A mosquito pool is a group of mosquitoes collected and tested together, so a rise in positive pools can give health officials an early signal that transmission risk is increasing in certain neighborhoods.
In response to the findings, the health department said it had widened surveillance and control work in areas where virus activity was detected, BK Reader noted. Since July, crews have carried out operations in neighborhoods tied to 315 positive mosquito pools, the agency said.
Why does it matter?
People contract West Nile virus through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most infections do not become serious, but rare cases can develop into severe neurological illness. BK Reader reported that older adults and people with weakened immune systems face a higher risk of serious complications.
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According to the outlet, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said four mosquito-control treatments had been completed over certain nonresidential wetlands and marshes, and additional operations were planned.
Officials say residents can reduce bite risk by using EPA-registered repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, and limiting time outside near dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are often most active.
They also recommend keeping window and door screens in good condition and dumping water at least weekly from toys, buckets, flowerpots, gutters, and similar containers that can become breeding sites for the insects.
The health department also says, as BK Reader reported, that New Yorkers can use its online map to look up positive mosquito locations and report persistent standing water through 311. Officials also advise properly maintaining swimming pools and other water features.
"Now is the time for every New Yorker, especially older adults and people with weakened immune systems, to take simple precautions to prevent mosquito bites," Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Alister F. Martin said.
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