West Nile Virus Detected in Windsor Terrace

If you've been bitten by a mosquito recently, you may be facing more than just an annoying itch—Windsor Terrace is one of several Brooklyn neighborhoods in which West Nile Virus has been detected by the city's Department of Health.

According to the DOH website, the virus was found on Aug. 3 in Windsor Terrace, as well as Dyker Heights, Greenwood Heights and Starrett City. 

Despite evidence of the potentially deadly disease, the area is not currently scheduled to receive the larvicide treatment frequently used to eradicate the bugs in other parts of the city.

The city does not have a "spraying forecast," a DOH spokesperson told Patch on Tuesday, meaning that Windsor Terrace could be scheduled for treatment at a later date if officials determine the area is, in fact, sufficiently at risk.

While the DOH does make its spray schedule public, many residents have when it comes to notifying the community that spraying will occur.

According to the DOH, symptoms of West Nile are reminiscent of the flu: headache, fever, muscle ache and fatigue are all characteristics of the virus, though occasionally sufferers will experience no symptoms at all.

The disease is, however, potentially fatal, and has been known to cause infection in the brain and spinal cord. People over the age of 50 are particularly susceptible, so if you think you have it, head to the doctor immediately.

In order to avoid getting bit, the DOH recommends that residents wear long pants and shirts—particularly at dusk—and avoid shaded, bushy areas in which mosquitoes often dwell. Wearing an insect repellent containing DEET is also an effective deterrent, and be sure to eliminate any standing water collecting on your property.

A total of 252 New Yorkers have been diagnosed with West Nile since it was first found in the United States in 1999.