West Nile Virus Detected in Sussex County Mosquitoes: What You Need to Know

NEWTON, NJ –No illness has been reported following the detection of West Nile Virus in adult mosquitoes in Newton, according to the Sussex County Office of Mosquito Control, in an announcement dated earlier this month.

The department said they will continue to “aggressively treat for mosquitoes in affected areas.” Their efforts will continue “until the threat of further disease transmission has passed,” they said.

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According to the department's published information, five traps in Sussex County have had mosquitoes test positive for West Nile Virus.  The other locations include:

• Andover
• Byram
• Hopatcong
• Montague

According to the New Jersey Department of Health’s Dashboard of “Vector-Borne Diseases” from mosquitoes, one case of Dengue Virus and one case of Jamestown Canyon Virus in Sussex County.  No cases of West Nile Virus have been reported.

The Mosquito Control Office has done 838 tests so far this 2024 season from 1192 trap collections, according to their website.  They have traps throughout the county.  Some municipalities have multiple traps:

• Andover Boro: 3 traps
• Andover Twp: 4
• Branchville: 1
• Byram: 12
• Frankford: 7
• Franklin: 2
• Fredon: 11
• Green: 14
• Hamburg: 2
• Hampton: 12
• Hardyston: 12
• Hopatcong: 16
• Lafayette: 1
• Ogdensburg : 1
• Sandyston: 1
• Sparta: 27
• Stanhope: 2
• Stillwater: 25
• Sussex: 2
• Vernon: 38
• Wantage: 9

According to Centers for Disease Control, symptoms of West Nile Virus i nfection include fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.  There are no medicines to treat it nor are there vaccines to prevent infection.

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“Fortunately, most people infected with West Nile virus do not feel sick. About 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness,” according to the CDC.

The recommendation is to avoid mosquito bites by using insect repellent, wearing long sleeved shirts and long pants, treat clothing and gear with insect repellent and control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors.

The CDC offers an interactive form to help determine " Which repellent is right for you "  for protection against both ticks and mosquitoes.

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