Mosquitoes in Stamford Test Positive for West Nile

The State Mosquito Management Program has informed city officials that mosquitos trapped in Stamford on July 22, 2013, tested positive for West Nile Virus, Director of Health and Social Services Anne Fountain announced Thursday. 

"These mosquitoes were found in the Cove Area," said Fountain, who added just because these particular mosquitoes were found in the Cove area doesn't mean people shouldn't be taking precautions elsewhere. "We found them here, and Greenwich and Norwalk both found positive mosquitos. Everyone needs to take precautions. this is the normal time of the year we start seeing them pop up. Last year, they started showing up a bit early."

Fountain said she was informed of the developments during a statewide call between all the public health directors in Connecticut. Yesterday's announcement marked the first mosquitoes that tested positive in the city this year by the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station (CAES), according to Fountain.  

"We tell people make sure you're careful around dusk and dawn," Fountain said. "Try to wear the appropriate clothing, long sleeves, pants socks and shoes. It's hard to tell people to get dressed up like that because it's summer, but if you can and you're out during those hours, you should."

Fountain said the office recommends people using mosquito repellent as directed by the labels on the bottle and observing any age restrictions by spraying the repellent directly onto their clothing and washing the clothes later. 

She also said property owners should be vigilant about stagnant water around their home, including items that might collect rain water like wheelbarrows, changing bird bath water regularly and making sure pools are fully chlorinated. 

"Eliminate the breeding sites," she said. 

The city is combating mosquitoes using similar methods, by hiring an outside company to conduct larvaciding. While the city won't spray for adult mosquitoes, the company will visit catch basins and eliminate the eggs so fewer new mosquitoes are born. 

"To control the population, we'll do it twice this year," she said. "We did it twice last year as well for the first time. We're doing it now and, unless we have a snap of cold weather, we'll do it again in September. 

Fountain described the symptoms associated with West Nile as appearing to be a mild illness that may include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, or a skin rash. Less frequently, people develop severe illness of the nervous system that can also include neck stiffness, disorientation, loss of consciousness, tremors, muscle weakness, and paralysis. Persons older than 50 years of age are more likely than younger persons to suffer the more severe health consequences if they become infected, she said. 

She added there have been no human cases of West nile yet this year, but noted that it's not just West Nile Virus for which the state is monitoring. The State Department of Public Health announced a single mosquito being identified carrying the Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus. 

The CAES maintains a network of mosquito-trapping stations in 72 municipalities throughout the state from June through October to monitor for West Nile. Mosquito traps are set by the CAES every ten days at each site on a rotating basis.