Mosquitoes Found In Darien Test Positive For EEE: Health Dept.

DARIEN, CT — Mosquitoes trapped in Darien on Oct. 7 tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) though no human cases of EEE have been reported in the Darien area, according to the state's Mosquito Management Program and the Darien Health Department.

The discovery marks the first time mosquitoes in Darien have tested positive for EEE since October 2009, officials said.

"The Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station will continue to monitor the situation in Darien," officials wrote in a statement released Wednesday but dated Oct. 15. "Mosquitoes will be trapped weekly throughout October until no virus is detected or mosquitoes are no longer
seen in the area."

Mosquito breeding season is over and the overall number of mosquitos continues to decrease, but while the risk of transmission of mosquito-borne diseases is low, it is not yet zero, officials added.

Though a storm is expected to impact weather in the area on Wednesday and Thursday, the general forecast for the 10-day period for Darien is for mostly mild weather. However, residents should continue to take precautionary measures that prevent mosquito bites — especially on warmer days.

The Darien Health Department recommends residents:

• Minimize outdoor activities the hour before and after sunset, especially when temperatures remain above 50 degrees in the evening
• When outdoors, use approved mosquito repellent and wear long sleeves and pants
• Ensure window screens and door screens are intact

Additionally, standing water in birdbaths, pots and planters, and other outdoor areas also should be emptied following a rainfall.

From the health department's announcement:

Risk for mosquito-borne disease is virtually eliminated by the first local hard frost which kills most remaining adult mosquitoes. A hard, or killing frost, is defined meteorologically as two consecutive hours of temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit or three hours below 32 degrees. This will occur at different times for different communities, and there may even be variation within communities based on local geography.

Although mosquitoes are not killed until a hard frost occurs, they are extremely unlikely to be active when temperatures fall below 50 degrees in the evening, and communities may wish to consider this information when making decisions about scheduling or cancelling planned outdoor events late in the season.