They also advised people to wear pants and long-sleeve shirts when outdoors and to use insect repellent liberally. There have not been any human cases of West Nile reported in the state. Last year the virus sickened 55 people and killed 7 in Queens, N.Y., all of them elderly. On Monday, New York officials closed Central Park after infected mosquitoes were found there, though no humans have tested positive. Believed to have originated in Africa and Asia, West Nile is most likely to be fatal in the elderly, and state officials said all cautions apply doubly to them.
Infants are also at higher risk.
In most younger, healthy people the virus is typically benign. The state will spray the Willow Pond area with pesticides as soon as the rain lets up, said state officials. If today's test results turn up numerous West Nile-infected mosquitoes or more dead or sickened crows, spraying will be more widespread. State officials said they will aggressively test all dead animals found in the area for signs of the virus. Local hospitals will also be on the lookout for patients with West Nile-like symptoms.