Mosquitoes in 14 Connecticut towns have tested positive for West Nile virus.
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By Joseph Wenzel IV, News Editor
NEW HAVEN, CT (WFSB) - Mosquitoes in more Connecticut towns have tested positive for West Nile virus this season.
Officials with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station collected, identified, and then tested mosquitoes trapped from throughout Connecticut during the week of Aug. 22. Mosquitoes in the following towns tested positive for the virus during that time frame:
- Darien
- Farmington
- Guilford
- Middlefield
- New Haven
- Stamford
Mosquitoes have previously tested positive for the virus in the following towns this season:
- Branford
- Bridgeport
- Glastonbury
- Greenwich
- New Canaan
- North Branford
- North Stonington
- Orange
- Plainfield
- South Windsor
- Stamford
- Stratford
- West Hartford
- West Haven
- Westport
In total, there have been 55 cases of mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus in 20 towns.
Connecticut residents should do the following items to reduce their chances of being bitten by mosquitoes:
- 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 repellent, according to directions, when it is necessary to be outdoors.
As of Wednesday, there have been no cases of humans testing positive for West Nile virus in Connecticut this season. There have been 131 cases of people testing positive for West Nile virus in Connecticut since 2000. Three people have died from West Nile virus.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station "maintains a network of 91 mosquito-trapping stations in 72 municipalities throughout the state."
For more information on the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, click here.
To learn more about the West Nile virus, click here.
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