5 days ago
Connecticut agency begins monitoring mosquitos for these viruses
NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — The State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program Monday announced it has begun seasonal monitoring of mosquitoes for viruses that can harm people- primarily West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus.
The organization's mosquito trapping and testing program begins June 2 and will continue until the end of October.
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'The mosquito season has begun,' Dr. Philip Armstrong, chief scientist at CAES, said in a statement. 'We will be trapping and testing mosquitoes from 108 locations throughout Connecticut to monitor the risk of mosquito-borne disease.'
Armstrong said WNV typically peaks in activity between July and September and in urban and suburban areas, but transmission of EEE virus is more sporadic and focused on rural areas.
West Nile virus emerges every summer in the Northeast and has been considered the main cause of mosquito-borne illness since it was first introduced to the New York City area in 1999, according to CAES officials.
In 2024, CAES said there were 13 human cases of West Nile virus-associated illness, with the dates of onset from July 30 to Sept. 15.
The virus was also detected in 309 mosquito samples from 44 towns in seven Connecticut counties. The majority of cases were found in urban and suburban regions of Fairfield, Hartford, and New Haven counties.
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Last year, there were no human cases of EEE virus reported in Connecticut, but cases did come up in New York and New Jersey. The virus is a rare but serious illness in humans with about four to eight cases usually reported annually in the U.S.
The virus was detected in 72 mosquito samples from 16 towns in Fairfield, Middlesex, New London and Windham counties last year.
It was also reportedly found in one horse, a white-tailed deer, and two wild birds.
The last major outbreak of human EEE infection in the U.S. was in 2019, when confirmed cases reached 38 and four people died- including three in Connecticut.
'We encourage everyone to take precautionary measures against mosquito bites, such as covering bare skin and wearing mosquito repellent, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active,' Armstrong said.
Visit the CDC website for more information on how to prevent mosquito bites.
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