Watching out for West Nile Virus

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - There are worries that the intense heat the past several weeks will speed up the arrival of mosquitoes carrying West Nile. 

New Haven is kicked off an educational campaign Thursday for people most at risk.

The city says August and September are the months where infected mosquitoes are the most active, so today they're launching an education and protection campaign.

Earlier this summer, mosquitoes tested positive for the virus in West Haven and Stamford. Experts say at least one person has tested positive for the virus in New York.

Dr. Ted Andreadis, Connecticut's chief Entomologist who monitors the mosquito activity this time of year says with all the rain and hot weather, it would not at all surprise him in the coming weeks if mosquitoes in the New Haven area are found to be positive for the West Nile virus.

His advice: Be vigilant and take precautions.

Free repellent spray is being distributed at all the senior centers along with important information. As in recent years, reducing the mosquito population in the New Haven area is also a priority.

To help explain, experts showed an example of how mosquitoes are being caught to held reduce the spread of the virus. "It's a briquette," explained Paul Kowalksi of the New Haven Health Department . "It stays in the catch basin and within the catch basin its concentrated enough to kill the mosquito larvae, but not concentrated enough once the chemical leaves the catch basin with storm water to cause any other stress."

Phyllis Madziotti, 97, says she gets the message about West Nile Virus. "I don't know too much about it, only what I hear," said Madziotti. "If you go outside to do gardening or anything, you have to spray yourself."

Others News 8 spoke with say they are not too concerned. "I don't worry about it, I never get bitten," said George DeRosa of the East Shore Senior Center.