CONNECTICUT, USA — As the seasons change, mosquitoes carrying an extremely dangerous virus are becoming more and more prevalent in Connecticut.
"Because of the wet summer, we have a bumper crop of mosquitoes this year," said Roger Wolfe, mosquito management coordinator for Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).
In the Eastern part of Connecticut, experts are finding that more mosquitoes are carrying Eastern equine encephalitis, a virus known as EEE.
"Traditionally, this area is kind of a hotbed for EEE when it shows up," Wolfe said. "It’s just the right habitat for those types of mosquitoes that like these red maple swamps [and the] the sphagnum moss swamps."
Thursday, DEEP's Mosquito Management Program was spraying Pachaug State Forest in Voluntown to reduce the risk of the virus spreading.
"We’re using insecticides that are registered for mosquito control and other pest control," Wolfe said. "It’s designed for a quick knockdown; it doesn’t linger, and that’s why we want to try to catch them here in the evening while they’re on wing."
While the virus has been detected in mosquitoes in more than a dozen towns, there have been no animal or human cases this year.
Experts with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station said the virus can be very serious.
"EEE actually affects all age groups," said Dr. Philip Armstrong, director of the Connecticut Mosquito Monitoring Program.
"It’s extremely severe, and for those that are hospitalized, the fatality rate is about one-third – is about 30%," he said.
This is why even though the end of mosquito season is approaching, it’s not quite time to let your guard down.
"Until we get a good hard frost if you’re out in the woods hiking, camping, hunting, just enjoying the outdoors, you have to protect yourself against mosquito bites," Wolfe said.
Experts said West Nile Virus is also still being detected across the state. To reduce the risk of mosquito bites, DEEP said people should:
- Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
- Consider the use of mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-methane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone when it is necessary to be outdoors.
- Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light-colored and loose-fitting and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
- Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.
- Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect infants when outdoors.
More information on EEE and West Nile Virus and more can be found here.
Gaby Molina is a reporter and anchor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at mmolina@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
---
Have a story idea or something on your mind you want to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at newstips@fox61.com
----
HERE ARE MORE WAYS TO GET FOX61 NEWS
Download the FOX61 News APP
iTunes: Click here to download
Google Play: Click here to download
Stream Live on ROKU: Add the channel from the ROKU store or by searching FOX61.
Steam Live on FIRE TV: Search ‘FOX61’ and click ‘Get’ to download.