The department says it has confirmed West Nile in mosquitoes it tested on Staten Island. No human cases have been detected.
Meanwhile, Connecticut state health officials say a batch of mosquitoes trapped in Stonington has become the first to test positive for West Nile virus this year in Connecticut.
The mosquitoes were caught June 11 and tested by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
The state's chief medical entomologist, Theodore Andreadis, says the finding of virus-infected mosquitoes comes earlier in the year than usual and warrants continued monitoring.
The first mosquitoes to test positive for the virus in 2007 were found in Manchester on June 27.
West Nile virus has been found in birds, animals and mosquitoes in nine other states this year. Human cases have been reported in five states, but none in Connecticut.
How to Reduce Exposure to Mosquitoes:
The Health Department's Web site has up-to-date information and maps on mosquito activity.
For more information:
National Library of Medicine: West Nile Virus
KidsHealth: What is West Nile Virus?
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WEB PRODUCED BY: Bill King