STONINGTON, Conn. — EEE has been detected once again in the state of Connecticut. Experts consider the detection early in the mosquito season a cause for concern.
The Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus or EEE was detected in Mosquitoes sampled on August 5th in Stonington.
"It was terrifying I heard some of the cases. Some of the stories," said Samantha Mendello.
Mendello remembers the severity of EEE season last year. She wasn’t about to skip the bug spray on her afternoon hike at Paffard Woods Nature Preserve in Stonington.
"That’s a precaution you should always take when going outdoors into the woods where there’s standing water," said Medello.
Standing water is a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Hence why the swampy areas east of the Connecticut River tend to see the most activity. This detection comes a few weeks earlier than expected and around the same time as it did last year.
"Typically we don’t see the EEE virus emerge until later in August, if at all," said Dr. Philip Armstrong, the Director of the Connecticut Mosquito Surveillance Program.
EEE was detected in 28 communities across the state in 2019. Four people contracted the virus. Three of which died. EEE is the most severe mosquito-transmitted disease in the U.S. Approximately 33 percent of people who contract the virus die while most survivors have significant brain damage.
Mosquitoes have already tested positive for EEE in New York and New Jersey. A person tested positive for the virus in Massachusetts.
"Once it’s introduced to an area we typically see a virus persist for a couple of years," said Dr. Armstrong.
Experts ask that you begin taking precautions to prevent bites by applying bug repellant and covering up exposed areas as dusk rolls around. The mosquitoes infected with EEE tend to be most active from dusk to dawn.
"The fact that we know it’s here we are just going to continue to monitor, trap mosquitoes and further study the spread of the virus," said Dr. Armstrong. "That will really guide our actions for the rest of the summer."
The West Nile virus has also been detected in parts of the state although there have been no human cases yet. Those detections came mostly in Fairfield county. There were also detections in Hartford and New Haven Counties.
To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes residents should:
- Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
- • Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.
- • 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 made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
- • Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect small babies when outdoors.
- • Consider the use of mosquito repellents recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), such as ones containing DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, IR3535, or 2-undecanone, and apply according to directions, when it is necessary to be outdoors.