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September 06, 2022
As of Aug. 29, West Nile virus had been detected in mosquitoes in 23 Connecticut towns, in line with the state Mosquito Trapping and Testing Program. No human instances have been reported but.
The Division of Public Well being (DPH) says West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne disease in the USA and reemerges yearly in Connecticut, usually in late summer time. West Nile was first recognized in the USA in 1999 in Queens, N.Y.
Cities with West Nile Virus exercise are:
- Branford
- Bridgeport
- Cornwall
- Darien
- Fairfield
- Greenwich
- Hartford
- Ledyard
- Meriden
- Milford
- New Canaan
- New Haven
- Newington
- Norwalk
- Stamford
- Stratford
- Wallingford
- Waterbury
- Waterford
- West Haven
- Westport
- Wilton
- Woodstock.
“We’re seeing a pointy rise in the numbers of mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus, particularly in coastal Fairfield and New Haven counties and within the metropolitan Hartford space,” stated Dr. Philip Armstrong, medical entomologist on the CAES. “We anticipate additional geographic unfold and build-up of West Nile virus in mosquitoes, with elevated threat of human an infection, from now by way of September.”
“The current warmth waves and excessive humidity have offered favorable circumstances for the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus,” stated Dr. Jason White, director of CAES. “We urge everybody to prevent mosquito bites by utilizing insect repellent and masking naked pores and skin, particularly throughout nightfall and daybreak when mosquitoes are most lively.”
How West Nile virus is unfold
Mosquitoes can get the virus after biting an contaminated fowl. In some instances, mosquitoes transmit the virus to horses and different animals, however not often to people. West Nile is handed by mosquitoes from fowl to fowl. Typically, a mosquito will infect people or animals.
What are West Nile virus signs?
It begins with headache, fever and physique aches, stated Neha Alang, MD, an infectious illness specialist based mostly in Norwich. Different signs might embrace:
- Physique aches
- Headache
- Rash
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Joint ache
Alang stated that normally, delicate West Nile sickness improves by itself. Sometimes, individuals needn’t search medical consideration, although they could select to take action. The Facilities for Illness Management estimate that 1 in 150 individuals contaminated can develop irritation of the mind (encephalitis) or the liner of the membranes that encompass the mind and spinal wire (meningitis).
“Should you develop signs of extreme West Nile sickness, akin to unusually extreme complications or confusion, search medical consideration instantly,” she stated. Such instances normally require hospitalization.
How you can defend your self
To cut back the danger of West Nile Virus and different mosquito-borne ailments, residents ought to:
- Decrease time spent open air between nightfall and daybreak when mosquitoes are most lively.
- Think about the usage of mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered lively ingredient. These embrace DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-methane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone when it’s essential to be open air.
- Put on footwear, socks, lengthy pants and a long-sleeved shirt when open air for lengthy intervals of time. Select light-colored and loose-fitting clothen product of tightly woven supplies that hold mosquitoes away from the pores and skin.
- Make sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good restore.
- Use mosquito netting when sleeping open air or in an unscreened construction and to guard infants when open air.
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