Two CT Residents, Including One In Fairfield County, Test Positive For West Nile Virus

The Connecticut Department of Public Health announced Tuesday, Aug. 31, that two Connecticut residents from New Haven and Fairfield counties have tested positive for the virus; the first two cases this season.

The patients are between 70-79 years of age and became ill during the third week of August with meningitis and meningoencephalitis, the department said.

Both are hospitalized and recovering. 

Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of antibodies to the virus. The patients are residents of West Haven and Bridgeport.

"The identification of two Connecticut residents with West Nile virus-associated illness requiring hospitalization emphasizes the potential seriousness of this infection," said Dr. Deidre S. Gifford, acting commissioner of the Department of Public Health. "As we approach the cooler weather and the holiday weekend, it is important to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. 

West Nile virus has been detected in Connecticut every year since 1999 and is the most prevalent mosquito-borne disease in the US. 

Last year, CAES detected the virus in 143 mosquito samples from 23 towns, and eight human cases were reported. 

Before 2021, 166 cases of West Nile virus were reported in Connecticut, of which four were fatal. 

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