New York City conducting spray sessions to mitigate West Nile virus spread

The New York City Department of Health is taking steps to stop the spread of West Nile virus.

The department is set to conduct a series of spray sessions across the city in hopes to wipe out the pests.

The effort to mitigate the spread of the virus comes after four confirmed cases in the city. Those cases were reported in Queens and Manhattan.

One person was diagnosed with West Nile fever and three other patients were hospitalized.

Another three cases are under investigation in the Bronx.

The virus has been detected in at least three blood donors who have donated to local blood banks.

Officials say the peak West Nile season runs from now through the end of September.

In addition to spraying, the city says there are proactive steps people can take in their everyday lives to lower their risk of contracting the virus.

"We all have a role to play to protect ourselves and each other. Using an EPA-registered insect repellent is one very important tool, especially when outside at dusk and dawn, when the types of mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus are most active," Dr. Ashwin Vasa, health commissioner, said in a press release.

Experts say a good defense is to drain standing water where mosquitoes breed.

ALSO READ | Mystery Solved: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claims he dumped bear carcass in Central Park

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.