Lysander, N.Y. — A horse has died of West Nile virus in Onondaga County, health department officials said.
The virus, spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, was detected in the horse from the town of Lysander by the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratory, Health Commissioner Dr. Indu Gupta said in a news release Friday.
There have been no West Nile virus findings in mosquito surveillance traps in the area where the horse was located, Gupta said.
The county Health Department will be intensifying trapping in the area and is planning to conduct truck sprayings on Monday after 7 p.m., she said. If weather or wind conditions are unfavorable, the spraying will be conducted on the next appropriate day, Gupta said.
The pesticide used will be Anvil 10+10 ULV and a label can be found at http://www.ongov.net/health/documents/AnvilProductLabel.pdf, health department officials said. A written copy of the label can be obtained by calling 315-435-1649.
Residents in the spray areas will be also notified by phone through the 911 emergency notification system.
Residents who live in the spray area are asked to:
- Stay indoors and keep your windows closed for one hour after the area has been sprayed.
- Keep your pets indoors if possible.
- Set your window air conditioners to circulate indoor air. It is safe to use your central air conditioning.
- Keep outdoor gardens covered and rinse vegetables before eating.
- Be sure children’s toys, outdoor furniture, and clothes on outdoor clotheslines are brought inside. If toys or clothes are left outdoors, wash each thoroughly with soap and water before using and launder clothes before wearing them.
- Close your car windows and car vents if you are driving during the spraying.
The health department reported one finding of West Nile so far this year, in a mosquito pool from a trap located near the Cicero Swamp on August 25, Gupta said. There have been no findings of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus in Onondaga County this year, she said.
Mosquito samples collected in Oswego County tested positive for West Nile in the beginning of September. So far, three horses from the same farm in Oswego County have died of EEE this year.
Most people who are infected with WNV do not develop symptoms, Gupta said. One in five people with mild cases may develop fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, or rash, she said.
People with severe illness usually have a high fever, sudden headache, neck stiffness, altered mental status, inflammation of the brain or membrane of the spinal cord (encephalitis or meningitis), Gupta said.
People at greatest risk of developing severe disease are those over 60 years of age and people with certain medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, or who have received organ transplants, she said.
As a whole, numbers of mosquitoes in the surveillance traps remain average for the season, however, the recent heavy rains and heat have resulted in the mosquito population being higher than usual for this time of year, Gupta said.
The Onondaga County Health Department remains in close contact with the New York State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation, Gupta said.
For more information about personal protection measures against mosquitoes, visit www.ongov.net/health/env/mosquitoes.html or contact the Onondaga County Health Department’s Division of Environmental Health at 315-435-1649.
Staff writer James McClendon covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach him at 914-204-2815 or jmcclendon@syracuse.com.
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