ONONDAGA COUNTY, JULY 16, 2025 – Onondaga County Health Commissioner Dr. Kathryn Anderson announced today that the first human case of West Nile virus (WNV) infection since 2019 has been reported in an elderly adult residing in the Town of Cicero. The individual was hospitalized, has since been discharged, and is currently recovering. Additionally, Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV) was detected in mosquitoes collected from a mosquito trap located on East Taft Road in the Town of Cicero through the Onondaga County Health Department’s mosquito surveillance program.

West Nile and Eastern Equine Encephalitis viruses are transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and are considered endemic in Central New York. “Based on historical patterns, we should assume West Nile, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and other mosquito-borne viruses are regularly present in our region,” said Dr. Anderson. “It’s important to take routine precautions against mosquito bites throughout the summer, particularly given the elevated mosquito activity we’ve seen so far this year in our surveillance program.”

Signs and Symptoms
Most people don’t get sick or have only mild symptoms after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the mosquito-borne disease. Signs and symptoms may include:

• fever
• headache
• neck pain
• muscle pain
• joint pain
• rash
• vomiting
• diarrhea

Rarely, mosquito-borne diseases can cause serious problems, such as encephalitis, a swelling of the brain.

Personal Protection Measures 

• Use this EPA search tool to help you choose the repellent product that is right for you, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on proper use for safety and effectiveness. Ideally, choose a repellent with 20% picaridin or 10%–30% concentration of DEET (look for N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide on the label). The higher the concentration of DEET, the longer it lasts. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that repellents should contain no more than 30% DEET when used on children. Repellent should not be used on babies younger than 2 months old.
• Mosquito repellent diffusers repel mosquitoes in the air and can be quite effective at reducing the number of mosquitoes in your immediate area.  Diffusers, alone or in combination with repellants applied to the skin, may offer additional protection.
• Treat clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear and remain protective through several washings. Alternatively, you can buy permethrin-treated clothing and gear.
• Mosquito-proof your home by replacing or repairing broken screens and getting rid of standing water where mosquitoes breed 

Remove Standing Water from Your Property
It is extremely important to remove mosquito breeding grounds by eliminating any standing water that may have collected on your property: 

• Throw away outdoor containers, ceramic pots, or containers that hold water
• Remove all tires from your property
• Drill holes in the bottoms of recycling containers that are kept outdoors
• Clean clogged rain gutters and make sure they continue to work properly
• Turn over wheelbarrows and wading pools when not in use
• Change water in birdbaths at least every four days
• Clear vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds
• Clean and properly maintain swimming pools, outdoor saunas, and hot tubs
• Drain water from pool covers
• Use landscaping to eliminate low spots where standing water accumulates

In response to this human case of WNV, the Onondaga County Health Department is conducting additional mosquito surveillance. The Health Department maintains ongoing coordination with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to monitor conditions. Any future spraying decisions will be based on multiple factors, including mosquito surveillance data and the number of mosquitoes detected in monitoring traps, with guidance from NYSDOH and NYSDEC. 

For weekly mosquito pool test results and for more information about personal protection measures against mosquitoes, visit onondaga.gov/health-env/mosquitoes/  or contact the Onondaga County Health Department’s Division of Environmental Health at 315. 435.1649.