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The virus is a sometimes fatal tick-borne infection that attacks a person's central nervous system, said officials with the Connecticut of Public Health (DPH).
DPH officials said on Monday, Aug. 21 that two men aged 60 years and older, residents of Middlesex County and Litchfield County, became ill during early July.
Two women aged 50 years and older, residents of Windham and Litchfield County, became ill in late July, DPH said.
All patients reported a known tick bite and were hospitalized with a central nervous system disease. They have been discharged and are recovering, officials said.
"The identification of four Connecticut residents with Powassan virus-associated illness emphasizes the importance of taking actions to protect yourself from tick bites from now through the late fall," said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD.
Those preventions include using insect repellent, avoiding areas where ticks are likely, and checking carefully for ticks after being outside, officials aid.
Powassan virus is spread to people through the bite of an infected black-legged, or deer tick. It takes from one week to one month after the bite of an infected tick to develop symptoms of POWV disease, and the virus can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes after the tick first attaches, the department said.
While most people infected with POWV likely experience no symptoms or a mild flu-like illness, some people will develop severe illness affecting the central nervous system.
About one out of 10 cases of severe illness are fatal and approximately half of survivors experience long-term health problems.
For information on the Powassan virus and how to prevent tick bites, visit https://www.cdc.gov/powassan/index.html.
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