Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus in CT

Mosquitos in Connecticut have tested positive for West Nile virus, state health officials said Wednesday.The state’s Mosquito Management Program said that mosquitoes trapped in New Haven on June 17 tested positive for the virus. The results are the first mosquitoes confirmed positive for West Nile virus identified in the state by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station this year.“This is one of the earlier detections of virus recorded during the last 25 years of the statewide monitoring program,” said John Shepard, Medical Entomologist at the CAES.Most people with the mosquito-borne disease don’t get symptoms, but people over 60 years old have a higher chance of getting ill, according to officials.About 1 in 5 people who are infected with West Nile virus can have symptoms like fever, body aches, joint pain, headache, or a rash. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some people can develop more severe symptoms that can be fatal.“We will continue to closely monitor mosquitoes for early virus amplification,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, chief scientist at the CAES. “The abundant rainfall and warm weather have increased mosquito activity this season. We encourage everyone to take simple measures, such as wearing mosquito repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.”But while scientists say it is unusual to get positive results this early into the year, West Nile virus has been detected annually since in Connecticut since 1999, according to officials.Stephen Underwood can be reached at sunderwood@courant.com

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