West Nile virus confirmed in Connecticut
By Rob Polansky
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WETHERSFIELD, Connecticut (WFSB) — State officials confirmed the presence of West Nile virus in mosquitos trapped in Wethersfield.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station said the mosquitos were trapped on July 17.
The results represented the first WNV positive mosquitoes identified in the state by the CAES this year.
“The first West Nile virus positive mosquitoes of the season have been identified,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, medical entomologist at the CAES. “The recent rainfall, high humidity, and warm temperatures have increased mosquito activity and West Nile virus is expected to build-up in the weeks ahead. We will continue to closely monitor mosquitoes for virus amplification from now through October.”
Officials urged Connecticut residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites and mosquito-borne diseases.
“This serves as a reminder for people to take steps to protect themselves from mosquito bites,” said Dr. Jason White, director of the CAES. “We encourage everyone to take precautionary measures such as wearing mosquito repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.”
The CAES urged people to:
– Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active. – Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair. – Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light colored and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin. – Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect infants when outdoors. – Consider the use of an EPA-approved mosquito repellent and apply according to directions when it is necessary to be outdoors.
Last season, WNV was detected in 185 mosquito pools from 24 towns in six counties in Connecticut.
The majority of WNV activity was detected in densely populated urban and suburban regions in Fairfield, Hartford, and New Haven counties.
Seven human cases of WNV-associated illness were reported with dates of onset from Aug. 11, 2022 to Sept. 20, 2022.
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