Connecticut’s Mosquito Management Program says mosquitoes trapped in Darian, Fairfield, New Haven, and Stamford last week tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the first time this year West Nile-positive mosquitoes have been identified in Connecticut.
“The current warm weather and high humidity provides ideal conditions for mosquito activity and West Nile virus transmission. We anticipate further build-up of the virus from now through September,” Philip Armstrong, medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, said.
Dr. Jason White, director of CAES, said they are encouraging residents to take precautionary measures, such as wearing mosquito repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are the most active.
West Nile virus has been detected in Connecticut every year since it was introduced into North America in 1999. Last season, WNV was detected in 208 mosquito pools from 43 towns among all eight Connecticut counties. Six confirmed human cases of WNV infection were also reported from Fairfield, Hartford, and New Haven Counties.
