Greenwich Resident Tests Positive For West Nile Virus

GREENWICH, CT — Town health officials announced Friday a Greenwich resident has tested positive for West Nile Virus, according to the state Department of Public Health.

In a statement, Director of Health Caroline Calderone Baisley said the state notified the town health department about the positive case this week. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

The resident, who is between the age of 70 and 79, became ill in the fourth week of August, according to Baisley. The resident was hospitalized with West Nile encephalitis and is recovering.

The announcement marks the fourth human case of West Nile Virus infection in Connecticut this year. Human cases have also been confirmed in Danbury, Newtown and Waterbury.

"This case of human illness demonstrates that WNV can cause serious illness and whenever the virus is present, there is a potential for human infection," Baisley said in a statement. "There will continue to be infected mosquitoes until the first frost, so persons, particularly those older than 50 years of age, must take personal protection precautions to avoid mosquito bites when outdoors at any time of day, especially during twilight hours."

So far, the virus has been isolated in mosquitoes in 18 towns in Connecticut this year, including Greenwich, Baisley said.

The town will continue to fight against West Nile Virus by conducting a preemptive larviciding program. According to Baisley, this includes the treatment of public and private roadway catch basins, public school ground catch basins and other property owned and operated by the town as needed.

"Controlling the mosquito population in the larval stage through the application of larvicide has been found to be a prudent action," Baisley said. "Although this measure helps reduce the mosquito population, it certainly does not eliminate it. Residents are therefore encouraged to protect themselves."

This year's program began in June, and larvicide is reapplied every four to six weeks into early fall.

"Although the town’s larvicide program treats catch basins, the general public must be vigilant in eliminating standing water on their own properties and protecting themselves from biting mosquitoes at all times," Director of Environmental Services Michael Long said in a statement. "It is important to recognize that the highest risk of exposure to West Nile Virus infected mosquitoes is during the months of August and September."

Town health officials noted the virus is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito, which becomes infected when it bites a bird carrying the virus. West Nile Virus is not spread by person-to-person contact or directly from birds to people.

Most people who are bitten by an infected mosquito are able to fight off infection and experience mild or no symptoms at all, however it can also cause serious illness that affects the central nervous system in some individuals, including the elderly and people with compromised immune systems, officials said.

"The finding of WNV in both humans and mosquitoes within Greenwich emphasizes the need for immediate personal protection measures against biting mosquitoes during the day and at night," Baisley said.

The town health department has also provided a list of precautions residents can take when outdoors to protect themselves:

• Avoid outdoor activities at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants.
• When using mosquito repellents with DEET, use the lowest concentration effective for the time spent outdoors (for example, 6 percent lasts approximately two hours and 20 percent for four hours) and wash treated skin when returning indoors. Do not apply under clothing, to wounds or irritated skin, the hands of children, or to infants less than two months old.
• Avoid application of repellents with DEET on infants and small children.
• Cover arms and legs of children playing outdoors.
• Cover playpens or carriages with mosquito netting.
• Don't camp overnight near stagnant or standing water.

Residents can eliminate standing water by:

• Getting rid of any water holding containers (old tires, etc.).
• Rake out puddles and drain ditches, culverts, gutters, pool and boat covers.
• Cover trash containers.
• Chlorinate your backyard pool and empty wading pools when not in use.
• Change the water in birdbaths daily.
• Keep grass cut short and shrubbery well trimmed around the house so adult mosquitoes cannot hide there.
• Ponds and stagnant water bodies that do not support fish, frogs or other amphibians that eat mosquito larvae may be treated with a biological control agent such as Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (BTI). It is suggested that the Department of Health or Conservation be contacted when treatment is considered.

Further information can be found on the health department section of the town website.