West Nile Virus Spreads To 23 Connecticut Towns: Here's The Full List

CONNECTICUT — More mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus, as continues to sweep through the southwestern towns in Connecticut.

So far, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has detected WNV-infected mosquitoes in: 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. No human cases of WNV have been reported so far this season.

"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. "This includes mosquito species that feed readily on humans which increases the risk of infection. Now is the critical time of year when virus activity reaches its peak in the mosquito population."

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.

"August and September are the months when people are at greatest risk of West Nile virus infection," said Jason White, director of CAES. "We strongly encourage Connecticut residents to take simple steps to prevent mosquito bites, such as using insect repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dusk and dawn when biting mosquitoes are most active."

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.