Syracuse, N.Y. -- Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a potentially deadly virus, has been discovered in mosquitoes in Cicero. The Onondaga County Health Department said today mosquitoes collected Aug. 19 in a trap at Oneida Shores tested positive for EEE. The department said it received test results from the state Wednesday. The finding of EEE in mosquitoes is not unusual. A pool...
Syracuse, N.Y. -- Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a potentially deadly virus, has been discovered in mosquitoes in Cicero.
The Onondaga County Health Department said today mosquitoes collected Aug. 19 in a trap at Oneida Shores tested positive for EEE. The department said it received test results from the state Wednesday.
The finding of EEE in mosquitoes is not unusual. A pool of mosquitoes on the north shore of Oneida Lake near Toad Harbor Swamp tested positive last month. The Oswego County Health Department sprayed that area earlier this month.
In rare cases, people can be infected with the EEE virus, which causes inflammation, swelling of the brain and can be fatal. An Oswego County resident died of EEE last September, the third recorded EEE death in New York state.
The Onondaga Health Department said the mosquitoes that tested positive in Cicero are primarily bird biters.
Dr. Cynthia Morrow, the county’s health commissioner, advised people to follow these precautions:
*Wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeves shirt when outside for a long period of time.
*Avoid outdoor activity at dawn and dusk, prime mosquito feeding time.
*Use mosquito repellent on clothes.
Residents also were advised to discard outdoor tin cans, plastic containers and other outdoor items that collect water.