After aerial sprayings of insecticide over Nassau County concluded earlier this week, four additional dead crows were confirmed as being infected with the West Nile encephalitis virus.

According to a release earlier this week from the Nassau County Health Department, the four crows were found in Hicksville, East Meadow, Lynbrook and Rockville Centre between Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. There was a report of a fifth positive crow in North Merrick, but the New York State Department of Health is unable to confirm it.

There have been six confirmed cases of Nassau County residents contracting the West Nile encephalitis virus. The most severe case resulted in the death of an elderly Mineola woman. The virus is tranmitted to humans and animals from mosquitoes which have fed off infected birds and cannot be transmitted person-to-person.

The release further stated that based on preliminary findings mosquito counts are down in areas which have already been sprayed. Central Nassau County, including Hicksville, was sprayed last Friday evening with the insecticide Anvil. Northern Nassau was sprayed the following night, and southern Nassau was sprayed Monday after its Sunday time was scratched due to adverse weather conditions.

In addition to the aerial attack on the mosquitoes, several areas on the South Shore were sprayed from the ground throughout the week. The accuracy of ground spraying precluded the aerial spraying in these areas due to their sensitive marine life.

Ground spraying was conducted in: Island Park; part of Oceanside; Merrick, Bellmore, Seaford and Wantagh, south of Merrick Road between the Meadowbrook and Wantagh parkways and the Wantagh Parkway east to Division Ave.; Massapequa, east of Division Avenue and south of Merrick Road to the Suffolk County line except the area between Broadway and the western side of the Massapequa Preserve between the Southern State Parkway and Merrick Road; Baldwin and parts of Freeport and Oceanside -- east of Oceanside Road, south of Atlantic Avenue and west of Meadowbrook Parkway; Five Towns area and the area west of the Massapequa Preserve. Thursday spraying was planned for Long Beach and around the Massapequa Preserve. Also, a second ground spraying for Centre Island and Bayville will be scheduled.

Warm, dry weather prevailed throughout the better part of week as the sprayings took place unhindered. Weather conditions necessary for spraying include a warm afternoon with temperatures not going below 50¼ F from 6 to 10 p.m., wind speeds of 10 MPH or less, and no rain.

According to the Health Department, the communities of Bayville and Centre Island, the first areas to be sprayed last month, would be sprayed again if mosquito counts rise in those areas.

For additional information, residents may call the Nassau County Department of Health at 571-8707 or 571-8708.