West Nile Virus Found in Central Park

N E W   Y O R K, July 25 -- The West Nile virus claimed a victim last night: Central Park.

Mayor Rudolph Giuliani ordered the famed park shut for the night on Monday when mosquitoes carrying the potentially fatal disease were found on the grounds — sending home tens of thousands of disappointed concertgoers who had planned to attend a free performance by the New York Philharmonic.

The park was sprayed with an insecticide during the night in an effort to kill the mosquitoes. City officials say the spraying kills about 90 percent of the insects — leaving behind 10 percent that could still carry the disease. The spray operation was completed early this morning.

“Central Park has a concert tonight. It brings about 30 or 40 thousand people into the park,” Mayor Giuliani said Monday afternoon. “The health commissioner thought it was advisable to cancel that. Hopefully we can get the spraying done tonight and weather permitting to have the concert tomorrow night.”

Central Park reopened this morning.

‘Go About Your Lives’

“The public should not have a great deal of apprehension,” said Giuliani. “Go about your lives normally, but for one night, stay out of the park.”

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Some 30,000 people had been expected to attend, with some arriving as early as 8 a.m. to stake out a good place to picnic and catch the performance.

“It’s for the best for everyone in the city,” said one resigned concertgoer.

But not everyone agreed. Some thought Gotham was overreacting — and were more worried by the effects of the spray.

The discovery of infected mosquitoes marks the first time that the potentially deadly virus has been found in mosquitoes in New York City this year. Earlier this summer, the virus was found in birds and mosquitoes in the suburbs.

Last year, the virus killed seven people and seriously infected 62 others in the metropolitan area so they required hospitalization. In the most serious cases, the virus causes infection resulting in encephalitis, or swelling of the brain.