Press Release
	NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene Office of Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Sandra Mullin/Andrew Tucker Friday, October 4, 2002 (212) 788-5290 (877) 640-1347

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH today reminded New Yorkers that, while the weather is cooling down, the mosquito season does not end until the first frost of the year, and that they should continue to take precautions against mosquitoes.

As recently as the last week in September, a case of West Nile virus (WNV) was reported to DOHMH and cases are known to occur in October. Last week, a 39-year-old woman from the Morris Park area of the Bronx was hospitalized with encephalitis. No known New York City cases have been acquired through blood transfusions or organ transplants. No spraying events are currently scheduled for the City.

There have been 26 cases of WNV identified in New York City to date - 18 of which have occurred in persons over the age of 65 - and two WNV-related deaths in New York City this year. Nationally, there have been more than 2,600 cases of WNV and 136 deaths, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

New Yorkers, especially those 50 years of age and over, should take precautions against mosquitoes:

• If outside between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active, wear protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks.
• Consider the use of an insect repellent containing DEET. USE DEET ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S DIRECTIONS. As with chemical exposures in general, pregnant women should take care to avoid exposure to DEET whenever practical.
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or holes.

Status of City WNV Patients To Date, 2002

Patient	Status
Bronx
39-year-old woman - Morris Park	Hospitalized
75-year-old man - Parkchester	Deceased
59-year-old woman - Throgs Neck	Discharged
40-year-old man - South Bronx	Discharged
71-year-old man - Spencer Estates	Discharged
27-year-old woman - East Tremont	Discharged
71-year-old woman - Schuylerville	Discharged
Brooklyn
66-year-old man - Gerritsen Beach	Discharged
78-year-old man - Flatlands	Discharged
Manhattan
73-year-old man - Unknown place of residence, but was hospitalized in Manhattan.	Hospitalized
35-year-old man - Upper East Side	Hospitalized
Queens
78-year-old man - Ozone Park	Hospitalized
85-year-old woman - Flushing	Hospitalized
69-year-old man - Queens Village	Hospitalized
79-year-old woman - Bayside	Discharged
72-year-old man - Floral Park	Discharged
34-year-old woman - Howard Beach	Discharged
75-year-old woman - Bayside	Discharged
85-year-old woman - Richmond Hill	Discharged
86-year-old woman - Beechhurst	Discharged
73-year-old man - Jackson Heights	Deceased
84-year-old man - Rosedale	Hospitalized
Staten Island
22-year-old man - Graniteville	Discharged
83-year-old man - Mariner's Harbor	Hospitalized
36-year-old man - Woodrow	Discharged
82-year-old man - Fox Hills/Rosebank	Discharged

For more information on WNV, visit nyc.gov/health/wnv.

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