HARTFORD, Conn. — The Connecticut Department of Public Health said Tuesday that two Connecticut residents have tested positive for Powassan virus infection.
DPH said these are the first cases of POWV associated illness identified in Connecticut in 2021. During 2016 to 2020, 10 cases of POWV associated illness were reported in Connecticut, including 2 in 2020. Two of the infections were fatal.
The disease is spread to people through the bite of an infected Black-legged deer tick . Officials said, “This is a rare, emerging infection in the United States and human cases have been identified in Connecticut.”
Officials said said in 2019, “The virus can cause severe disease. There is no vaccine to prevent or medicine to treat Powassan virus infection. The best way to prevent Powassan virus disease is to prevent tick bites.”
The DPH added Powassan virus disease to the list of state-wide reportable diseases in 2019.
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