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The State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program reported that some of the positive mosquitoes were found in three Fairfield County communities: Stamford, Darien, and Fairfield.
Mosquitoes trapped in New Haven also tested positive for West Nile, officials reported.
Officials said the mosquitos were trapped on Monday, July 18, and Tuesday, July 19.
These are the first mosquitoes tested by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) that tested positive for West Nile virus this year.
“The first West Nile virus positive mosquitoes of the season have been identified,” said Philip Armstrong, a medical entomologist at the CAES. “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."
To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, officials advised residents to take the following measures:
- 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 infants when outdoors.
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