Halloween Event Moved Due To EEE Virus Concerns

NEW LONDON, CT — Mayor Michael Passero has announced that New London’s Annual Halloween Event will be held indoors at the Garde Arts Center on State Street due to concerns with the recent cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in the area.

According to a statement, Passero consulted health officials and determined that the EEE virus risk is considered low but still active, making reasonable precautions necessary.

Four Connecticut residents have contracted the virus this year. In three of those cases, the results were fatal.

The Annual Halloween Town Youth Event will be on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. This is a city-sponsored event under the direction of Barbara Neff Productions and will be held and hosted at the Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., and the gallery spaces on that block.

Passero urged parents to consider reasonable safety precautions as children travel to, participate and leave the event this year to include the following precautions:

• While outdoors, wear shoes, socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts. Clothing material should be tightly woven.

• Consider using mosquito repellent when it is necessary to be outdoors and always use them according to label instructions. The most effective repellents contain DEET or Picaridin. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is also effective for brief periods of exposure.

• When using DEET, use the lowest concentration effective for the time spent outdoors (for example, 6% lasts approximately 2 hours and 20% for 4 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 2 months.

Additional resources for information on EEE and mosquito management can be found here. For information on what can be done to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes and the latest mosquito test results and human infections, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website at portal.ct.gov/mosquito.