TO CLOSE

The Bergen County Executive assures residents that his office is coordinating a campaign to reduce the mosquito population in the area.
Nicholas Katzban, Staff Writer, @NicholasKatzban

The Bergen County Director, James Tedesco III, releases a bucket of minnows in a pond of Borg's Woods as part of the county's mosquito control program, "Bergen Bites Back".
(Photo: Amy Newman / NorthJersey.com)

A second death in Bergen County due to West Nile virus was reported this week, with virus cases reaching record levels.

"The number of human cases of West Nile virus is the highest we have seen since 2012, and the season is not over yet," said New Jersey Health Commissioner Shereef Elnahal on Monday. "This summer's hot and humid climate has resulted in an increase in mosquito populations and associated viruses."

An elderly woman from Bergen County died this month as a result of the death of one 62 year old man from Lodi in September.

According to the Ministry of Health, on September 24, 31 cases of West Nile virus were confirmed in New Jersey. Six cases have been reported in Bergen County, the highest number in the state, according to a vector surveillance report released by the ministry on Sept. 15.

Elnahal said the number of mosquito groups positive for West Nile virus is the highest ever reported, especially in the northwestern and central parts of the state where levels are generally not high, the statement said. .

According to the vector surveillance report, approximately 1,019 mosquito pools have been tested positive for West Nile virus throughout the state, 118 of which are in Bergen County.

"The number of cases of West Nile virus in New Jersey is very worrying," said Ray Bukowski, Assistant Commissioner of Natural and Historical Resources of New Jersey. "The hot and humid weather we have experienced increases the mosquito population."

COUNTY RESPONSE: Bergen County attacks mosquitoes from helicopters

END OF ONE TIME: Closing of Shaw's book store in Westwood at the end of September

Mr Bukowski said it was crucial to eliminate "even the smallest amounts of stagnant water from their properties" as the weather began to cool to reduce the risk of Exposure to mosquitoes.

According to the Ministry of Health, people can reduce the mosquito population by emptying or changing flower pots, bird baths, clogged gutters, plastic wading pools, wheelbarrows and trash cans that may contain stagnant water.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus does not cause symptoms in most people, but one in five infected centers can develop fever, headaches, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash. People over 60 are at greater risk of complications.

According to the New Jersey Department of Health, less than 1% of those infected with West Nile virus will develop severe symptoms, including high fever, stiff neck and swelling of the brain (encephalitis).

In the past five years, the Ministry of Health has identified West Nile virus as the cause of some deaths in the state, including:

  • Two deaths in Gloucester and Morris counties in 2013
  • Three deaths in Cumberland, Monmouth and Passaic counties in 2015
  • Two deaths in the counties of the ocean and the Union in 2016
  • Two deaths in Mercer and Middlesex counties in 2017

To protect against West Nile virus, the CDC suggests using insect repellents and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants on the outside. If you use sunscreen, apply it before an insect repellent.

The group also recommends not to use insect repellent in babies less than 2 months old. Instead, parents should dress babies in clothes that cover their arms and legs and cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito nets.

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