To learn more or to report dead birds call
The Rye Nature Center at (914) 967-5702

County Executive Andrew Spano remarks: 
The decision to conduct spraying for mosquitoes is one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make.  We are an environmentally concerned county and personally, I don't like spraying of any kind.  However, we have a situation here, a health emergency, if you will, that calls for ground spraying at this time. It is a decision I made, upon the recommendation of our health department, because I believe it is the right decision that will protect the health and welfare of our residents.  It was not made lightly.  It was discussed and evaluated and reviewed in depth.  It is our hope that by ground spraying now, we can destroy more mosquitoes who can transmit this virus to our residents.  The health of Westchester's residents is my primary concern.

The County is ground spraying with Anvil, a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide similar to naturally occurring pyrethins found in chrysanthemums. The ingredients in Anvil are commonly used and are found in products used to combat ticks and fleas on pets. It is used in very low concentrations and most people will not experience any irritating effects, if they are not normally sensitive to pesticides, plant pollen, hairspray, petroleum solvents or household cleaning products.

Here's what you can do to control mosquitoes:

Remove unnecessary water-holding containers, especially old tires, cans, buckets, drums, wheelbarrows and bottles.

• Cover trash containers to keep out rain.

• Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.

• Ensure that your home has tight fitting screens over windows and doors to keep mosquitoes from entering apartments and homes. Be sure that all screens are in good repair.

• Clean roof gutters and remove standing water from flat roofs.

• Remove standing water from your basement.

• Place a couple of capfuls of household bleach in your basement sump-pump pit if it has standing water.

• Keep drains, culverts and streams on your property clean of weeds and trash so that the water will drain properly.

• Make sure stored boat covers are completely drained. Store small boats upside down.

• Drain the water in birdbaths, plant pots and drip trays twice a week.

• Keep grass cut short and trim shrubs to eliminate hiding places for adult mosquitoes.

• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs. Be sure rainwater does not collect on pool, sauna or hot tub covers. You should disinfect the cover with bleach to kill larvae and eggs.

• Clean vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds.

• Fill in hollow tree stumps and rot holes that hold water with sand or concrete.

• Drill holes in the bottoms of recycling containers that are kept outdoors.

Was there an outbreak of West Nile virus in the New York City area in 1999?
Yes, an outbreak of West Nile virus occurred in the New York City metropolitan area in the late summer of 1999. Over 60 persons, including 46 residents of New York City, were infected with this virus. Seven persons, including four New York City residents, died of West Nile virus infection during the 1999 outbreak. West Nile virus was identified in mosquitoes and birds in New York City, Long Island, the lower Hudson Valley, Connecticut and New Jersey. Last year, the West Nile virus also caused illness among other animals, including horses in eastern Long Island and a cat in New Jersey. This outbreak is the first time that West Nile virus has been found in the Western hemisphere.

What will the Rye do this year to prevent West Nile virus from returning?
The City of Rye and the Westchester Department of Health, along with other City, State and federal agencies, have developed a comprehensive plan to reduce the risk of West Nile virus returning in 2000 called Operation STING. The main goal of this plan is to decrease the number of adult mosquitoes by eliminating their breeding sites, where possible, and applying larvicides (to kill the immature larval form of the mosquito) to areas with stagnant water that can not be completely drained. The County will also regularly test adult mosquitoes and birds for West Nile virus throughout the spring and summer. If West Nile virus is found, local application of pesticides may be needed to prevent the spread to people.

How is West Nile virus spread?
West Nile virus is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. A mosquito becomes infected by biting a bird which carries the virus.

Can I get West Nile virus from an infected person?
You cannot get West Nile virus from a person who has the disease. West Nile virus is not spread by person-to-person contact such as touching, kissing, or caring for someone who is infected.

Can I get West Nile virus from an infected bird?
No, West Nile virus is not spread directly from birds to persons. However, you should always avoid bare-handed contact when handling dead animals or birds. Use gloves or double plastic bags to place the carcass in a garbage can.

How can I prevent being infected with the West Nile virus in the future?
The best way to prevent infection with West Nile virus is to avoid getting mosquito bites during the time of year that mosquitoes are most active (April through October). Take the following precautions:

• Use insect repellants with no more than 30% DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide). Use 15% or less DEET for children. Do not use DEET on infants. Insect repellants should be used during the dusk and evening hours when mosquitoes are most likely to bite. Be sure to read and follow the manufacturer's directions for use.
  
• If you are outdoors, wear protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks.
  
• Mosquitoes like to breed in stagnant water. Remove outside objects such as empty buckets, old tires, and any other containers in which water accumulates and where mosquitoes may breed. (If these receptacles can not be removed, they should be emptied, turned over or covered so that water cannot collect in them.) Clean and empty water from clogged roof gutters. Change the water in bird baths every other day. Keep swimming pools clean and chlorinated, or drain and cover them if they are not being used.
  
• Make sure that door and window screens do not have holes and fit tightly in your windows.

Where did the West Nile virus come from?
Outbreaks of the West Nile virus have occurred before in Egypt, Asia, Israel, South Africa, parts of Europe and Australia. Before 1999, the West Nile virus had never before been found in the Americas. The New York State Health Department, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are currently investigating how the West Nile virus got into our area. The most likely explanation is that the virus was introduced by an infected bird that was imported or an infected human returning from a country where the virus is common.

What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?
Most people who are infected with the West Nile virus have no symptoms or may experience mild illness such as a fever, headache and body aches before fully recovering. Some persons also develop a mild rash or swollen lymph glands. In some individuals, particularly the elderly, West Nile virus can cause serious disease that affects brain tissue. At its most serious, it can cause permanent neurological damage and can be fatal. Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) symptoms include the rapid onset of severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, confusion, loss of consciousness (coma), muscle weakness, or possibly death.

Is a woman's pregnancy at risk if she is infected with West Nile virus?
There is no evidence that the fetus is at risk if a pregnant woman is infected with West Nile virus.

How long does it take to get sick after being bitten by an infected mosquito?
West Nile virus symptoms generally occur 5 to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

Who is at risk of contracting West Nile virus?
Anyone can become infected with the virus. However, the very old are most likely to become ill and develop serious symptoms (such as encephalitis) when infected.

If I live in an area where birds or mosquitoes with West Nile virus have been reported, and I am bitten by a mosquito, am I likely to get sick?
No. Even in areas where mosquitoes do carry the virus, very few mosquitoes -- less than 1% -- are infected. The chances that any one bite will be from an infected mosquito are very small. Even if you are bitten by an infected mosquito, your chances of developing illness are roughly one in 150 to one in 300.

I've gotten a mosquito bite. Should I be tested for West Nile virus?
No. Most mosquitoes are not infected with the West Nile virus. Illnesses related to mosquito bites are rare. However, you should see a doctor immediately if you develop symptoms such as high fever, confusion, muscle weakness, severe headaches, stiff neck, or if your eyes become sensitive to light. Patients with mild symptoms should recover completely, and do not require any specific medication or laboratory testing.

Is there treatment for West Nile virus?
Although there is no specific treatment, medication or cure, the symptoms and complications of the disease can be treated. Most people who get this illness recover from it.

Is there a vaccine for West Nile virus?
No. A vaccine for West Nile virus does not exist.