Connecticut Man Tests Positive For West Nile Virus: DPH

CONNECTICUT — State health officials reported a Connecticut man has tested positive for West Nile virus infection.

This is the first case of WNV-associated illness identified in Connecticut this season.

The patient is a resident of New Haven County and is between 70 – 79 years of age. He became ill the second week of August and was admitted to a local hospital where he was diagnosed with WNV encephalitis. He was discharged from the hospital last week and he is recovering at a rehab facility, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health in a statement released Friday afternoon.

"The identification of the first case of West Nile virus-associated illness emphasizes the potential seriousness of this infection," said state Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani. "As we approach the cooler weather and the holiday weekend, it still is important to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Using insect repellent, covering bare skin, and avoiding being outdoors during the hours of dusk and dawn are effective ways to help keep you from being bitten by mosquitoes"

As of Thursday, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has detected WNV-infected mosquitoes in 23 municipalities: Branford, Bridgeport, Cornwall, Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, Hartford, Ledyard, Meriden, Milford, New Canaan, New Haven, Newington, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Wallingford, Waterbury, Waterford, West Haven, Westport, Wilton, Woodstock.

"We continue to see high numbers of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus especially in coastal Fairfield and New Haven counties and in the greater Hartford area," said Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at CAES.

West Nile virus has been detected in Connecticut every year since it was introduced into North America in 1999. Only about 1 in 5 people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms, which can include headache, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious or possibly fatal illness.

Last year, six residents across Connecticut developed WNV-associated illness, and the virus was detected in mosquito populations in 43 towns

CAES officials are advising residents to take the following steps to reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes:

• 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.