Shouting March Mars Borough Hall Briefing on Mosquito Invasion

A borough hall meeting called by the City Health Dept. to discuss the incidence of West Nile virus cases erupted last week when community activist Joyce Shepard, Community Boards coordinator Melinda Katz and a Health Dept. representative clashed over the City’s massive spraying to kill the encephalitis-bearing mosquitoes.
Observers said that a screaming match broke out in the Borough President’s Office when Shepard demanded to know the risks of malathion, the pesticide the City has been spraying. Katz and William Feitlinger of the Health Dept. objected and said the purpose of the meeting was to enlist the borough’s support in taking blood samples from northern Queens residents in an area known as the borough’s "hot zone," and didn’t want to talk about the spraying operation – one that has divided the borough.
Shepard reportedly fled from the meeting room, but returned later.
The health officials urged borough leaders to throw their influence behind efforts to gain volunteers for the blood sample operation. A spokesperson for Borough President Claire Shulman said that the Queens group consisting of 22 officials including community board district managers agreed to back the blood collection effort
They also won agreement from the City to give prior notice of any encephalitis-related action they undertake and to utilize mobile vans. As a result, the Health Department has deployed four vans in northern Queens.
Health workers began a random search on Oct. 3 in Auburndale, Murray Hill and Whitestone for blood samples to test for antibodies.
"The presence of antibodies would indicate that a person was infected by the virus, but did not, and will not, necessarily become sick," according to Health Commissioner Dr. Neal L. Cohen. "The screening will help us find out who is most at risk of being exposed to the virus."
In another development, the Central Queens Greens have filed suit against the City. It’s action was reportedly designed to file notice of intent to sue for violation of the Clean Water Act.
Green Party representatives distributed leaflets last week charging that "spraying is worse than the mosquitoes." The organization promised that protests will continue every Friday in front of borough hall from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
"While the overall number of laboratory positive cases continues to be among older adults, and recently confirmed cases do not represent new illnesses, but rather cases which were previously investigated and have been reclassified, we are continuing to recommend that New Yorkers of all ages take precautions to reduce exposure to mosquitoes," Dr. Cohen said.
As of press time, there have been 38 laboratory-confirmed cases of West Nile-like virus (including four deaths), with 166 cases under investigation.
The latest cases included a 71-year-old man from Jackson Heights and an 81-year-old Flushing woman both recently released from a hospital, officials said this week.
Of the 38 confirmed cases, including those earlier believed by the CDC to be St. Louis encephalitis, four patients have died, five are hospitalized and rest have been discharged from hospitals.