The Lackawanna County West Nile Virus Program has recorded a new discovery of the virus in a mosquito. The mosquito was collected Aug. 27 near East Corey Street at Walsh Court in Scranton’s Minooka section. human cases have been reported in Lackawanna County at this time.

Rocco Genovese, program coordinator, advised residents to take take precaution when outdoors for extended periods, such as wearing long pants and long sleeves, and to eliminate standing water on their properties.

For more information on West Nile virus and the Pennsylvania West Nile Virus Control Program, please visit https://gis.dep.pa.gov/WNV/index.html.

SEASON UPDATE -- West Nile virus status update for Sept. 3, 2024
The Lackawanna County West Nile Program has collected 394 samples this season. Of those samples, twenty-six have tested positive for West Nile virus. For historical perspective, please see below:

2024… 394 samples/26 positives
2023… 780 samples/20 positives
2022… 744 samples/24 positives
2021… 469 samples/38 positives
2020… 454 samples/0 positives

We have conducted fifty larval controls and twenty-eight adult mosquito control events in 2024. Treatments will continue as weather conditions allow. Trapping will continue through the last week of September. Sites that tested positive for West Nile virus this season and have tested negative on at least two subsequent occasions include:

Bellman Street Park, Throop
Pagnotti Field, Old Forge
Robinson Park, Scranton
Palm Street at Crown Avenue, Scranton
Garfield Avenue at Bulwer Street, Scranton
300 block of Spring Street, Moosic
Abington Little League fields, Glenburn Township

Sites that have tested positive for West Nile virus this season and are still under active surveillance and treatment include:

Lackawanna River Heritage Trail, South Laurel Street trailhead, Archbald
McDade Park, Scranton
Connell Park, Scranton
East Corey Street at Walsh Court, Scranton
Meadow Avenue at Willow Street, Scranton
East Locust Street at Morgan Court, Scranton
Dean Street at Wurtz Avenue, Scranton
River Street at South Webster Avenue, Scranton

Officials from Lackawanna County and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection are responding to the situation. Residents in affected areas are advised to take precaution when outdoors and to eliminate standing water on their property.

For more information on West Nile virus and the Pennsylvania West Nile Virus Control Program, please visit https://gis.dep.pa.gov/WNV/index.html