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Mosquitoes are more than just pests, so don’t just brush them off

HARTFORD–Mosquitoes seem to be a staple at every outdoor function, and they find their way to every outing. While most people brush them off as the source...
Mosquito Chikungunya Virus

HARTFORD--Mosquitoes seem to be a staple at every outdoor function, and they find their way to every outing. While most people brush them off as the source of an irritable itch, the Connecticut Department of Public Health is reminding the public to be more aware of the pests.

Some mosquitoes can carry infectious diseases. That’s why the Mosquito Management Program will be monitoring mosquitoes to make sure they don’t have any viruses that can cause people to get sick, like West Nile and Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

To do this, the mosquito trapping and testing program begins June 1, with the first set of results available by the week of June 8.

In 2014, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station trapped and tested more than 200,000 mosquitoes and identified mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus in 15 towns.

The Department of Public Health identified those towns as Bridgeport, Cornwall, Danbury, Darien, East Haven, Greenwich, Groton, Hartford, New Britain, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, West Hartford and Wethersfield.

No mosquitoes infected with EEE were identified in 2014.

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