By Jeff Lipton
Health department officials would not say when and where the crow was found, only that tests came back positive for the disease on Aug. 28. But one source said the crow was discovered at the Inwood Country Club on Peppe Drive on Aug. 17 and was picked up by the county a day later.
This is a serious situation, the source said. The community has to be informed. It's not something that should be swept under the rug. The weather has been hot and humid and we've had a lot of rain. If this is happening in Inwood, it could happen anywhere.
But Cynthia Brown, a health department spokeswoman, said, Birds fly, and where they were found is not necessarily where they were infected.
Brown said the dead crow found in Inwood was no reason for alarm. The birds could have been infected somewhere else, Brown said. West Nile is coast-to-coast. It's all over.
County health officials said that a total of 13 birds found in the county have tested positive for West Nile virus this year. Two county residents were diagnosed with symptoms of the disease last month, a 60-year-old Hicksville man and a 57-year-old Bethpage woman. Both have since recovered after suffering from ailments such as headaches, fever and altered mental states. No mosquito pools have tested positive in Hicksville or Bethpage as yet, officials said.
The county said it has no plans to spray for adult mosquitoes. Suffolk County has begun aerial spraying to combat West Nile, which has touched off protests from environmentalists. In 1999, Five Towns residents were upset over Nassau County's spraying schedule, because they said the spraying was done without warning.
West Nile virus was first reported in Nassau County in 1999. At the time, nobody really knew what they were dealing with, Brown said. There was a lot of concern by residents and professionals, because people were not sure how it was being transmitted.
Six cases of the disease were reported in Nassau County that year, and one person died as a result of it, officials said. In 2000 there were no cases reported. The following year there were four cases and two deaths, and last year there were 11 cases and no deaths.
This summer, Nassau County has continued its surveillance in those areas where pools attracting mosquitoes have tested positive by trapping adult mosquitoes, inspecting breeding sites and, where necessary, applying larvicide.
It is not surprising to find an increase in mosquito activity later in the summer, when there are greater numbers of mature mosquitoes, said David M. Ackman, the county's commissioner of health. He urged the public to take reasonable precautions to avoid exposure to mosquitoes:
n Make sure window and door screens are in place and in good repair.
n Eliminate standing water from around homes and places of business from old tires, garbage cans or any objects that can hold water.
n Make sure roof gutters drain properly, and clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall.
n Keep swimming pools chlorinated and their covers free of stagnant water.
n Change the water in bird baths every two or three days.
n Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most abundant.
n Wear shoes, socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for an extended time.
n Consider the use of mosquito repellent when spending time outside.
Anyone wishing to report a mosquito problem may call (516) 571-8707, Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. To report a dead bird, call the state hotline toll-free at (866) 537-2473, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or the Nassau County Department of Health at (516) 571-8707 weekdays from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
County officials advise residents that most of the dead birds reported to the county will not be collected.
