Health authorities in a central New York county say they'll begin spraying to kill mosquitoes after the virus Eastern equine encephalitis was found in some of the insects.
The Oswego County Health Department says Wednesday the discovery in samples taken from the village of Central Square coupled with West Nile virus found previously is behind the decision to begin aerial spraying. The department hasn't determined when the spraying will start over 10,000 acres north of Oneida Lake.
The infected mosquitoes are a type that bites birds, not humans, but the virus can be spread among mosquitoes.
All five EEE cases reported in New York over the past 40 years have been fatal. Symptoms include sudden headache, high fever, chills and vomiting.
Central Square is 17 miles north of Syracuse.
Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press