West Nile Scare Cancels Central Park Concert
N E W Y O R K, July 24, 2000 -- Prompted by the discovery of a mosquito carrying the West Nile virus in Central Park, New York City officials have ordered the park closed tonight and canceled a concert expected to draw 30,000 people.
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said today that investigators found three mosquito pools with mosquitoes that tested positive for the West Nile virus — two on Staten Island and one in Central Park.
The city is scheduled to spray the park tonight — a half hour after the park is scheduled to close — with insecticide beginning at 10 p.m., weather permitting. If it rains tonight, city officials say the spraying will take place Tuesday night.Tuesday is also the rain date for the canceled concert. “The concert brings about 30 or 40 thousand people into thepark and Health Commissioner Neal Cohen thought it was advisableto cancel that,” said Giuliani.
This marks the first time a New York Philharmonic performance has been canceled in 34 years.
The discovery of the infected mosquitoes marks the first time the West Nile virus had been found in the heart of the city this year. The infected mosquitoes were found in Central Park near 63rd Street on the east side of the park; on Staten Island, they were found in Fresh Kills landfill and Pond Park.
Mayor Urges CalmThe mayor urged residents not to be alarmed by the discovery of the infected mosquitoes or the spraying of the insecticides. “The public should not have a great deal of apprehension,” Giuliani said during a press conference this afternoon. “Go about your lives normally, but for one night, stay out of the park.”
As a precautionary measure, the city on Wednesday will expand spraying to Manhattan between 23rd and 110th Streets. Spraying is scheduled for Staten Island tonight and for Queens and Brooklyn on Tuesday.
On Sunday, Giuliani announced there would be more spraying after two dead birds which tested positive for the disease were found in Queens and Brooklyn.
The two latest tests raised the number of infected dead birds, among more than 220 examined for the disease, up to seven.
No Human Infections This Year
No one has been found to have been infected with the WestNile Virus this year. Months ago health authorities began acampaign to keep the mosquito population down by attackingbreeding sites. Last year, the West Nile virus killed seven people and infected 62 others in the New York metropolitan area.
Birds or mosquitoes have been found carrying thevirus in at least three city boroughs and half a dozen suburbancounties.
The virus is spread to humans by infected mosquitoes thathave gotten the virus by biting a bird carrying it.
It can cause potentially lethal brain diseases such asencephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, or meningitis, aninflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord.Symptoms can include high fever, headache and body aches, muscleweakness, loss of consciousness or rash.
U.S. health authorities do not know how the virus wasintroduced to the New York region. It could have been from aninfected bird that was imported or an infected human returningfrom a country in Africa, southwestern Asia or the Middle East,where the virus is common.
Westchester County Also Spraying
Four infected birds also have been found in Westchester County northeast of New York City. Officials there, plan to spray for mosquitoes near where the birds were found.
The virus was found in aedus japonicus mosquitoes in Westchester, the firsttime that the virus has been found in the species, which feedsduring the day and at night. Infected mosquitoes discovered lastyear were culex pipiens, which feed mostly at night.
Spraying will also take place in southeast Connecticut after infected mosquitoes were discovered Stamford, Conn. earlier this month. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.