West Nile Virus Spreads To 17 Connecticut Towns: Here's The Full List

CONNECTICUT — More mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile virus, as hot and humid conditions drive the disease southwesterly in Connecticut.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has identified West Nile virus infected mosquitoes in 17 Connecticut towns this season: Branford, Bridgeport, Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, Hartford, Ledyard, Milford, New Canaan, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Wallingford, West Haven, Westport, and Woodstock.

No human or horse cases have been reported with WNV-associated illnesses acquired in Connecticut this season. One hundred seventy-three human cases of West Nile virus, including four fatalities, have been reported in Connecticut residents since 2000.

CAES maintains a network of mosquito monitoring stations throughout the Connecticut. This is the state's "early warning system" for the bug-borne diseases.

"We are seeing a sharp rise in the numbers of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus, especially in coastal Fairfield and New Haven counties and in the metropolitan Hartford area," said Philip Armstrong, medical entomologist at CAES. "We anticipate further geographic spread and build-up of West Nile virus in mosquitoes, with increased risk of human infection, from now through September."

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.

"The recent heat waves and high humidity have provided favorable conditions for the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus," said Jason White, director of CAES. "We urge everyone to prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dusk and dawn when 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.