Senator Ritchie, Assemblyman Barclay Praise Spraying Decision

Oswego County Ground Zero In Public Health Threat

State Senator Patty Ritchie and Assemblyman Will Barclay are praising Oswego County Health officials for their decision to conduct aerial spraying to reduce the chance of another tragedy from Eastern Equine Encephalitis infected mosquitoes.

“The families and children of Oswego County need to be protected from this deadly disease that has already cost one family their four-year-old child,” Senator Ritchie said. “Since the disease first appeared in New York State 40 years ago, it’s been clear that Central New York is ground zero in the state’s battle to protect public health. That's why Assemblyman Barclay and I have been urging the county to launch a spraying program.”

“With mosquito pools in six towns already testing positive for the EEE virus, I am very pleased Oswego’s leaders have decided to take action to prevent any future tragedies,” Assemblyman Barclay said. “Five of our fellow New Yorkers have been killed by this disease, all of them residents of Central New York, since 1971.”

“With the incidence of EEE increasing among humans and livestock in recent years, I spent today working with the chairman of the Senate Health Committee to insure that New York State provides a coordinated response to help local officials respond to this very real danger to our friends and neighbors across Oswego County,” Senator Ritchie said.

“We have told Oswego County officials that we will work together to assist Oswego County financially or legislatively to help prevent future tragedies like this from striking any more families,” Assemblyman Barclay said.