Chautauqua County Environmental Health Director Bill Boria said a positive case of West Nile Virus was found in a horse in Ashville last week, “Also, there’s Eastern Equine Encephalitis, which is another virus that’s carried by mosquitoes. It’s not nearly as prevalent as West Nile Virus and there was a actual positive horse for what we call ‘Triple E’ in Conewango Valley in Cattaraugus County which isn’t far away from us.”

Senator Schumer said data shows this was one of the worst summers in terms of the mosquito population and that it could last well into fall.

He announced a two-pronged push to ensure the Environmental Protection Agency keeps resources coming to New York and an upcoming budget boost to increase the Centers for Disease Controls ‘vector borne disease’ dollars delivered by the agency to ensure New York State has the resources they need to survey, test, educate and respond to dramatic increases in the mosquito population, such as the one seen this summer, and could keep seeing into the future.

Boria said residents are asked to protect themselves by wearing insect repellent, long pants, socks, and long sleeve shirts to protect from mosquito bites. He said with the wet summer season, they also should remove any standing water from their property, “You know like buckets or wheelbarrows or kiddie pools – anything like that that could potentially be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.”

There is no commercially available human vaccine for either West Nile Virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis. Vaccines are available for horses in consultation with a veterinarian.

That includes nine new germs spread by mosquitoes and ticks that were discovered between 2004 and 2016.

And even though there has been a marked increase in transmitted diseases, the number being reported may actually be lower than the actual cases that are out there because many infections are not reported or recognized.

The most common diseases caused by mosquito, tick or flea bites are Lyme, West Nile, Zika, and dengue.

In Chautauqua County, health officials are continuing to monitor lyme disease, saying that the number of ticks carrying the disease is on the rise locally.

“The percentage of Lyme infected ticks collected in Chautauqua County continues to rise so resident should definitely take precautions when out on local trails/natural areas particularly in areas with large deer populations or trails frequented by deer,” explained Mark Stow, Chautauqua County Director of Environmental Health Services via an email to WRA.

Though the CDC stops short of suggesting that people cancel outdoor plans, health officials are emphasizing the increasing importance of EPA registered bug repellents to protect everyone — especially children — from outdoor pests.

The CDC also recommends doing the following to protect against mosquito, tick and flea bites:

• Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
• Treat items, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with permethrin or use permethrin-treated clothing and gear
• Take steps to control ticks and fleas on pets
• Find and remove ticks daily from family members and pets
• Take steps to control mosquitoes, ticks and fleas inside your home.

On Tuesday afternoon the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services said it had received confirmation from the State Department of Health that one mosquito pool of 10 adult mosquitos collected on September 3 tested positive for West Nile.

Officials say that the mosquito species that tested positive primarily bites birds.  They also say it is only the fifth mosquito pool from Chautauqua County that has tested positive since 2001.

County Environmental Health director Mark Stow said in a media release that County residents should not be alarmed by the news, but added that the findings do reinforce the fact that there is a continuing threat of West Nile transmission in the county.

He said it’s important that everyone take precautions to reduce exposure to mosquito bites and take steps to reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property.

Precautions against mosquito bites include wearing socks and shoes, long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and applying mosquito repellent during outdoor activities, particularly when around wooded areas and at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are active.

The active mosquito biting season is nearing an end as adult mosquito activities greatly diminish as the weather cools and the bulk of adult mosquitos are killed with the first hard frost.

For more information about the West Nile Virus, visit www.co.chautauqua.ny.us/559/West-Nile-VirusEEE or contact the Division of Public Health Environmental Health Unit at (716) 753-4481.

According to a media release sent out Tuesday afternoon, the Public Health Division of the Chautauqua County Department of Health and Human Services received notification from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) that a mosquito pool in Southern Chautauqua County has tested positive for EEE. The exact location of the pool was not given in the release.

County Health Director Christine Schuyler says that although it is late in the season, residents should safeguard against EEE as well as West Nile Virus by taking basic precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

People are urged to follow these precautions to defend against mosquito bites:

• Use insect repellent properly.
• Limit outdoor activities in areas where mosquitoes are most active
• If you have to be outside, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks as weather permits.
• Repair or replace all window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Reduce or eliminate all standing water.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs and drain pool covers.
• Clean vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds
• Change the water in birdbaths and horse troughs twice a week.
• Dispose properly of old tires.

EEE is a rare illness in humans but often a deadly disease. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and can affect humans, birds, horses and other mammals. Most people bitten by an infected mosquito will not develop any signs; however, of those who do, symptoms usually appear four to ten days later.

Signs of EEE infection begin with a sudden headache, high fever, chills and vomiting. The illness may then progress into disorientation, seizures, coma or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). It causes death in most cases; however, some people will survive the infection and have mild to severe brain damage for life. There is no specific treatment for EEE; care is based on symptoms.

There is no commercially available human vaccine for EEE. The best way to protect yourself is to keep mosquitoes from biting you. EEE vaccines are available for horses in consultation with a veterinarian.

In the last 12 years, New York State has reported 490 human cases of the WNV with 37 fatalities as compared with only five reported human cases of EEE in the last 40 years, all of which were fatal.

For more information on EEE, visit www.health.ny.gov.

www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/eastern_equine_encephalitis/fact_sheet.htm .

On Tuesday night about 50 people attended a community forum to discuss this year’s mosquito problem and what can be done to address it. The event was organized by Keith and Glenda Nelson of Everett St. in the village and also included County Executive Vince Horrigan, Falconer Mayor David Krieg, County Environmental Health Director Mark Stow and DEC field biologist Jamie Haight.

During the meeting, residents shared their experiences with the mosquito nuisance, with many saying they were unable to go outside at certain hours because the issue has gotten so bad. They also said that the youth soccer teams from both Frewsburg and Randolph are refusing to play in Falconer because of the nuisance, adding that no matter how much repellent they use, it doesn’t stop the mosquitoes from biting.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any immediate fix to the problem. Haight explained that the village, like other communities in the region, is at the mercy of mother nature and as long as we have a wetter than usual summer, the mosquito population will be larger than average.

Officials also said that unless there is a serious public health hazard for residents – such as the discovery of West Nile or Eastern Equine Encephalitis, (EEE) – it’s unlikely spraying areas of the village – which would require state permission – will take place. And Haight said that because the type of mosquito that is most prevalent in the village isn’t a common carrier of either disease, spraying doesn’t appear to be an option at this point.

“I’m not going to make a commitment to spraying (pesticides),” Horrigan told the audience. “That’s just not an option to consider at this time.”

Instead, Horrigan and Krieg said that the village and county’s public works departments will work together to look for ways to eliminate standing water, focusing primarily in the eastern side of area of the village along the Chadakoin River and Mill Race Park. Crews will look to see if there is a way to clear brush and other debris from those areas to help increase the flow of water and reduce standing water pools. They will also continue to educate the public about eliminating standing water pools around the home, which can be found in anything from buckets to old tires to bird baths.

“We’ll continue to work with the county and the state to see if there are any improvements that can be done,” Mayor Krieg said. “It’s a wide area, not just the village of Falconer, that’s swampy and you’ve got to get your neighboring communities to do things too, because mosquitoes don’t know boarders. As soon as you control some in one area for a few days, the others move right in.”

Meanwhile, Keith and Glenda Nelson say they will continue to work on raising awareness about the mosquito issue, as well as keeping an line of communication open between the Falconer community and village and county officials. “We will continue to work with Village and County officials to identify possible solutions to the large mosquito infestation in Falconer,” Nelson said. “We encourage our Falconer neighbors to attend the upcoming Village of Falconer Board meeting next Monday at the Community Building.”

Krieg said that its likely residents will have an update on the effort to battle the mosquitoes when the village board holds its next meeting at 7 p.m., Aug. 11 in the village community building on W. Main St.

Local residents Glenda and Keith Nelson have distributed flyers throughout the village, inviting residents to attend a forum that will focus on the mosquito issue and develop a communitywide action plan to help find a solution

Mosquito borne diseases include West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. While both have not yet been detected this year in Chautauqua County, public health officials have released warnings and are trying to help increase awareness about staying protected from mosquito bites.

Several local officials will attend the meeting, including Falconer Mayor Dave Krieg, the village board and County Executive Vince Horrigan.

Tonight’s meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Fenner Elementary School on East Main Street and is open to the public.

The Chautauqua County County Department of Health and Human Services sent out a release Friday, saying it was notified earlier in the day of its first case ever of EEE in a privately owned horse.  The horse developed neurological symptoms and was euthanized. It was subsequently tested and results confirmed that it had EEE.

According to county health director Christine Schuyler, the diagnosis follows a summer of unprecedented EEE activity in the area where the horse was stabled. She says it is the first ever case of equine EEE in the County and the first equine case in New York State in 2013.

The County has been on heightened alert against EEE and the West Nile Virus after 26 positive mosquito pools had been detected in the southeast corner of the county since August 9. Following a declaration of an Imminent Threat to Public Health by the New York State Health Commissioner, county health officials gave approval for the aerial spraying in the towns of Kiantone and Carroll.

Schuyler reminds residents that the best way to protect against either virus is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. That includes using insect repellent and wearing long sleeves and pants while outside at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.

For more information on EEE, visit www.myhealthycounty.com.

County Public Health Director Christine Schuyler says residents should not be alarmed by the news, but the findings do reinforce that there is a continuing threat of West Nile Virus transmission in the county. She adds that it is extremely important that people take precautions to keep mosquitoes from biting them and take steps to reduce mosquito breeding sites.

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause serious illness and occasionally death. Many people who contract West Nile virus do not experience any type of illness; an estimated 20 percent of people who become infected will develop mild symptoms including fever, headache and body aches, and possibly a skin rash or swollen lymph glands. Severe infection causes symptoms such as high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, headaches, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and coma. People of all ages are at risk for infection but people over age 50 and younger than age 16 are at greatest risk.

For more information on steps to follow to avoid mosquito bites and the chance of being exposed to the virus, visit www.cdc.gov or call the Health Department at 1-866-604-6789.