Mosquitoes Test Positive For West Nile Virus In North Haven

NORTH HAVEN, CT — Mosquitoes in North Haven recently tested posted for West Nile Virus, according to health officials. In addition to North Haven, the Central Connecticut Health District has received notification that the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) has identified West Nile Virus in the following towns: Chester, East Haven, Greenwich, Groton, New Haven, North Stonington, South Windsor and Wethersfield.

A mosquito collected from a trap at Quinnipiac River State Park on Aug. 22 tested positive for West Nile Virus. The CCHD is urging all Connecticut residents to take precautions to “protect themselves against vector-borne disease transmission by preventing mosquito bites.”

West Nile Virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the U.S. commonly transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 1 in 5 (20 percent) WNV-infected persons develop fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph nodes and rash on chest, stomach and back. About 1 in 150 develop a “serious, sometimes fatal, illness including symptoms such as high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, convulsions, muscle weakness, vision loss, numbness and paralysis,” according to the CCHD.

The CCHD encourages residents to protect yourself, your family, and your friends from mosquito-borne illness by following these simple steps:

Mosquitoes require a blood meal for reproduction.

• Be careful at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active.
• Wear long sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors; don’t forget to cover the arms and legs of children. Clothing should be light colored and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
• Cover babies’ playpens and carriages with mosquito netting when outdoors.
• Install protective nets and screens
• Use an effective insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), 2-undecanone which are EPA-registered repellents.

Mosquitos require water for reproduction, laying eggs in as little as a few tablespoons of water.

• Eliminate sources of standing water around your home such as stagnant ponds, ditches, flower pots and old tires.
• Drain children’s pools, clean clogged gutters, and flush birdbaths & fountains once or twice a week.
• Dispose of tin cans, plastic containers, and any similar containers that have accumulated on your property.
• Drill holes in the bottoms of recycling and garbage containers that are left outside.

West Nile virus has been detected in the state of CT every year since 1999. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (CT DPH) reports a total of 134 human cases of West Nile virus diagnosed in Connecticut residents since 2000, resulting in 90 hospitalizations and three fatalities.