HARTFORD — So far this season, the state has found mosquitos that are carrying EEE virus in 27 towns.
The towns with EEE Positive Mosquitoes according to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station are Bethany, Chester, Darien, Groton, East Lyme, Haddam, Hampton, Killingworth, Ledyard, Lyme, Madison, Middlefield, North Stonington, Old Lyme, Plainfield, Shelton, South Windsor, Stamford, Stonington, Voluntown, Waterford
Towns with EEE Human Case = Colchester, East Haddam, East Lyme, Old Lyme
Towns with EEE Positive Horses = Colchester, Columbia, Montville, Salem, Sterling, Voluntown
Towns with EEE Positive Pheasants/Partridges = North Stonington
The LLHD said that the mosquitoes that were trapped were primarily the bird-biting kind.
Three Connecticut residents have died from EEE in 2019.
Residents who live in towns or near towns where the EEE virus has been found, are advised to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites:
- Be sure door and window screens are tight fitting and in good repair.
- While outdoors, wear shoes, socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts. Clothing material should be tightly woven.
- Use mosquito netting if sleeping outdoors.
- 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.
Measures to reduce mosquitoes around the home include:
- Dispose of water-holding containers, such as ceramic pots, used tires, and tire swings, clogged gutters.
- Drill holes in the bottom of containers such as those used for recycling.
- Change water in bird baths on a weekly basis.
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, and cover pools when not in use.
- Use landscaping to eliminate areas where water can collect on your property.
To learn more about the EEE, click here.
