The first case of West Nile virus this year has been detected at a popular New York beach and campground, authorities said Friday.
The virus was discovered in a mosquito sample taken from a trap set at Watch Hill in Fire Island National Seashore, a 30-mile-long barrier island off Long Island, the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) said.
Watch Hill is a popular campsite on federal land between Davis Park and the Fire Island Wilderness, and the trap was part of a collaborative mosquito surveillance program between the NPS and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services-Arthropod-Borne Disease Laboratory.
West Nile virus was first confirmed in New York state in 1999, the same year the virus first entered the United States. The virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne illness in the country, according to the CDC.
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The mosquito sample that tested positive for West Nile virus was found in a trap at Watch Hill, a campground in Seashore, authorities said. (National Park Service)
The virus is most commonly transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash, although the vast majority (about 80%) of people who get West Nile virus have no symptoms. There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus.
Fire Island National Seashore is a 30-mile-long, half-mile-wide barrier island off the coast of Long Island, New York. (National Park Service)
More than 1,800 people were hospitalized with the virus in the United States last year, resulting in 182 deaths, according to CDC data.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the public face of the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic, was hospitalized earlier this month with the West Nile virus, a spokesperson for Dr. Fauci told Fox News on Saturday. Fauci, 83, later returned home where he has been recovering and is expected to make a full recovery, the spokesperson said.
Authorities have advised visitors to avoid areas with high mosquito populations and to wear clothing that covers the body, such as pants, socks and long-sleeved shirts. (National Park Service)
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Meanwhile, the NPS and Suffolk County will continue the weekly mosquito surveillance program to monitor the severity and extent of the virus in the coastal area. Watch Hill will also benefit from increased surveillance.
Control methods such as larvicides, spraying or area closures may be used if threats to human health are identified, the NPS said.
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Park officials said people visiting Fire Island National Seashore should avoid areas with high mosquito concentrations, wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts, socks and long pants, and use insect repellent containing at least 30 percent DEET.
Michael Dorgan and Danielle Wallace of Fox Digital contributed to this report.
