Amid Record West Nile Virus Season, City To Spray Larvicide Again

BAYSIDE, QUEENS — New York City is dousing northeastern Queens in mosquito repellent for the fourth time this year, after finding West Nile virus in the area during an increasingly active mosquito season.

Last week, the city found 188 groups of mosquitos across the five boroughs that tested positive for the West Nile virus, including some insects in Bayside. At this time last year the city only found 9 groups of insects that tested positive for the virus.

The Department of Health attributes this spike in cases to "recent heavy rains," like Tropical Storm Elsa, that cause mosquito populations to rise "significantly," since the insects breed in standing water — another consequence of increasingly severe, climate change-induced weather changes.

In another attempt to reduce mosquito activity, the health department will send low-flying helicopters over the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens, dousing non-residential areas in larvicide from Monday, August 2 to Wednesday, August 4, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m., weather permitting.

This will be the fourth time — and second week in a row — that the mosquito repellent treatment is used in areas of northeast Queens, which appears to be one of the city's West Nile virus hotspots, according to a city map.

In northeast Queens, the helicopters will fly over Alley Pond Park, Kissena Park and the abandoned Flushing airport, according to the DOH, which said that the aerial larviciding helps ensure that people stay better protected from mosquito-borne diseases, specifically including West Nile virus.

So far, cases of West Nile virus have just remained in mosquitos this season, although the DOH is still investigating one person in the Bronx who was recently diagnosed with meningitis, which can be caused by West Nile virus.

To prevent mosquito bites, the Centers for Disease Control suggests using insect repellent that contain DEET, picaridin, ir3535, lemon eucalyptus oil, para-menthane-diol or 2-undecanone.

Other options include wearing long sleeves and pants, using air-conditioning or window and door screens, and replacing containers of standing water — including vases and pet bowls— weekly, to prevent breeding.

Here's where the aerial larviciding will happen in Queens: