NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus have been found in Westchester County, officials said Friday.
Two different “batches” of mosquitoes in Mount Vernon tested positive for the virus, the Westchester County Health Department said in a press release.
The department inspected the areas in which the mosquitoes were discovered and treated nearby catch basins to keep the insects from breeding, the release said.
No one in Westchester County has contracted West Nile virus so far this year, according to the release, but the county’s health commissioner, Sherlita Amler, urged residents to use mosquito repellent anyway.
West Nile virus symptoms include “fever, headache, body aches and joint pain,” the release noted.
“With so many of us spending more time outdoors, protect yourself and your family by using repellents,” Amler said in a statement. “Apply sunscreen first, and repellent second.”
More information about West Nile virus is available on the health department’s website.