NEW WEBSITE TRACKS THE ZIKA THREAT ON THE UWS AND CITYWIDE
The city has unveiled a snazzy new website that goes through the measures that officials are taking to prevent an outbreak of Zika. It’s got some important neighborhood-level information.
The kinds of mosquitoes that can spread Zika are called Aedes aegypti. Those are not known to live in New York. But a cousin, called Aedes albopictus, does live in the city and could potentially become a transmitter of Zika, so health officials have been tracking their whereabouts. The city has put out traps to catch mosquitoes and examine whether they’re part of the potentially problematic species.
A map that goes along with the city’s presentation shows how many mosquitoes were captured in local traps per week this year. On the UWS, one cluster of traps shows 2 mosquitoes were caught per week, and the other shows 0.3 were caught. That’s far below other areas of the city, such as the Lower East Side, where an average of 16 were caught. None of the mosquitoes caught in the city so far have tested positive for Zika. Another local trap showed that an average of 5 Culex pipiens and/or Culex restuans mosquitoes were caught per week — those can carry West Nile Virus.
The site also shows where the city has sprayed to kill mosquitoes, and where they have issued notices of violation for leaving standing water. None of those have been issued on the UWS. To report standing water, which can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, fill out the form here.
See the whole site here. And be aware that you can also get Zika from sex.
I was hoping for a whole lot more when I clicked on the sex link.
Has the city checked 84th street between West End and Riverside for mosquitoes? That street has been a notorious breeding-ground.
For example:
http://bit.ly/2bsttQw
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http://bit.ly/2bwUkZ1
THEY’RE BAAAACK; SEWER-BREEDING MOSQUITOES RETURN TO 84TH STREET
Posted on December 18, 2014 at 8:55 am by West Sider
http://bit.ly/2bKTtor
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Posted on November 30, 2011 at 3:35 pm by West Sider
http://bit.ly/2bM5efg
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Posted on October 28, 2011 at 4:56 pm by West Sider
You do realize that only a certain kind of mosquito is known to transmit Zika, right? And that that mosquito doesn’t live in NYC, right?
Yes — I do realize that. However, 84th street is known to be a place where there are many mosquitoes and there has been a longstanding problem. It wasn’t on the map released by the city of locations where they are collecting sample mosquitoes. Maybe they should add a collection point there too?
or…
…the city put out traps in areas WITHOUT mosquito infestations?
That’s what you do when you ‘manage to the numbers’.
Problem solved easy.
How about information to actually tell citizens what to do when they have mosquitoes. We’ve had them in our apartment on the 16th floor, on West 98th for years, and we don’t have a garden or terrace. Good luck trying to find out how to combat them. Come on NYC.
Really? You need the government to tell you how to deal with insects in your apartment?
How do you manage to get through your day? Do you call 311 and ask how to open your front door?