Mosquitoes test positive for WNV

Stamford, Conn. (WTNH) - Connecticut is the first state in New England this year to report mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile Virus.

State officials say it is not surprising news, given the warm and wet spring we had.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has 91 sites -- but it was in Stamford where the first mosquitoes tested positive for West Nile this season.

"This is the second earliest we've ever detected it so it might indicate that things are beginning to heat up and because of the warm weather that we've had and currently experiencing we are anticipating that this is going to build up in the coming weeks and coming months as we proceed through the season," explained Dr. Ted Andreadis, Chief Medical Entomologist.

Dr. Andreadis says he generally sees a positive detection in mid to late July. He says mosquito trappings will now increase to two to three times a week- up from once a week. The hotspots include along the 1-95 corridor -- south of the Merrit Parkway from Greenwich to New Haven. But its the mosquitoes from Glastonbury that are now getting a close up look.

"In the greater Hartford area is one of our places we frequently encounter West Nile Virus in mosquitoes," said John Shepard, CT Agricultural Experiment Station.

Shepard oversees the collection and identification of mosquitoes.

"If a mosquito is ready to lay eggs, it means she has already taken a blood meal and she may have acquired West Nile Virus from an infected bird," he explained.

While there was no human case of West Nile last year, Dr. Andreadis says be vigilant about avoiding a bug bite.

"In and around the home, you want to make sure you don't leave your doors open, make sure your screens are repaired, mosquitoes will come in to bite. If you have stagnate water around the home, you want to eliminate them," he said.

West Nile Virus was first detected in our state in 1999. Since then, there have been 69 human cases and three deaths.