Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile Virus In Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — Mosquitoes trapped in Greenwich have tested positive for West Nile Virus, according to the state's mosquito management program.

In a statement released Tuesday, the town health department said these are the first mosquitoes to test positive for the virus identified by the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station in Greenwich this year.

The mosquitoes were trapped near the Eastern Civic Center in the Old Greenwich area of town, officials said. (To sign up for Greenwich breaking news alerts and more, click here.)

Mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus have also been found in Stamford, Darien, Bridgeport and Newington, officials said.

Greenwich will continue to fight against the virus by conducting a preemptive larviciding program, which 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. This year's program began in June, and larvicide is reapplied every four to six weeks.

"Controlling the mosquito population in the larval stage through the application of larvicide has been found to be a prudent action," Director of Health Caroline Calderone Baisley said in a statement, "however, this measure only helps to reduce the mosquito population, not eliminate it. The recent warm weather and periodic rain events have increased the ability for mosquitoes to breed. Residents are encouraged to protect themselves whenever they are outdoors."

According to Director of Environmental Services Michael Long, residents must also be vigilant in eliminating standing water on their own property and protecting themselves from mosquito bites at all times. He also noted the highest risk of exposure to mosquitoes infected by the virus is during August and September.

Last year, one Connecticut resident developed symptoms associated with the virus, and the case was not fatal, officials said.

The state mosquito management program will continue to trap and test mosquitoes at three testing sites in Greenwich through October.

West Nile Virus is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito, which becomes infected when it bites a bird carrying the virus. It 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, although some individuals, including the elderly and people with compromised immune systems, can experience more serious symptoms that affect the central nervous system.

"The finding of WNV positive mosquitoes in Greenwich marks the time to emphasize that personal protection measures are extremely important against biting mosquitoes during the day and at night," Baisley said.

Town health officials recommend taking the following precautions when outdoors:

• Avoid outdoor activities at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Use mosquito repellent according to the manufacturer's directions on the label (10 percent or less DEET for children and no more than 30 percent DEET for adults). Always wash treated skin when returning indoors.
• 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.

Officials also recommend eliminating 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.