CONNECTICUT, USA — Officials reported Thursday that mosquitoes found in 17 Connecticut towns and cities have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), and they said they expect more to come.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) reports infected mosquitos in Branford, Bridgeport, Darien, Fairfield, Greenwich, Hartford, Ledyard, Milford, New Canaan, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Wallingford, West Haven, Westport and Woodstock.
"We are seeing a sharp rise in the numbers of mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus, especially in coastal Fairfield and New haven counties and in the metropolitan Hartford area," said Dr. Philip Armstrong, a medical entomologist at the CAES. "We anticipate further geographic spread and build-up of West Nile virus in mosquitoes, with increased risk of human infection, from now through September."
Director of CAES Dr. Jason White cited recent heat waves and high humidity providing favorable conditions for the mosquitos that transmit the virus.
"We urge everyone to prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active," White advised.
To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, experts said people should do the following:
- Minimize time spent outdoors around 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 most 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 repellent, according to label instructions, when it is necessary to be outdoors.
Learn more about West Nile Virus and other information about mosquitoes here.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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