(WTNH) — Even with the cooler weather, state health officials are continuing to warn residents about the mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus.
“Although mosquito numbers are on the wane, we continue to detect EEE virus in mosquitoes, some of which are being found in new communities,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES). “We will continue to closely monitor the situation by trapping and testing mosquitoes for EEE throughout the State until the first killing frost.”
Related: New warnings on EEE after 2 deaths from virus
The EEE virus has been detected this season in 27 Connecticut towns:
- Bethany
- Chester
- Colchester
- Columbia
- Darien
- East Haddam
- East Lyme
- Groton
- Haddam
- Hampton
- Killingworth
- Ledyard
- Lyme
- Madison
- Middlefield
- Montville
- North Stonington
- Old Lyme
- Plainfield
- Salem
- Shelton
- South Windsor
- Stamford
- Sterling
- Stonington
- Voluntown
- Waterford
Three fatal human cases were found this season in Old Lyme, East Haddam and East Lyme.
A Colchester resident has a confirmed case of EEE and is still in the hospital after several weeks of treatment.
On Oct. 7, more mosquitoes tested positive for EEE in East Lyme. Experts said they pose less of a threat to humans because they’re mostly bird-biting.
Bird-biting mosquitoes carrying EEE were also recently detected in Groton and Waterford.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) continues to test bugs across the state for EEE as well as for West Nile Virus.
Related: High school sports get rescheduled throughout the state due to EEE concerns
Several towns across the state have encouraged residents to follow suggested dawn and dusk curfews to protect them from being bitten. Municipal and school events have been rescheduled to avoid mosquitoes at dawn and dusk.
See CAES’ full list of mosquito testing results as of Oct. 16th here.
