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Mosquitoes carrying EEE, West Nile virus spreading to more Connecticut communities

  • "Late summer-early fall is the critical time of the year...

    Mark Mirko / Courant file photo

    "Late summer-early fall is the critical time of the year when virus activity reaches its peak in the mosquito population," says medical entomologist Phillip Armstrong.

  • Connecticut is having its worst outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis...

    James Gatheny/AP

    Connecticut is having its worst outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis since 2013 and more communities are restricting outdoor evening activities because of the threat.

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Mosquitoes carrying the potentially deadly Easter Equine Encephalitis have now spread to 10 communities, according to state experts, with most located in eastern Connecticut except for Shelton in the Naugatuck Valley.

The list of communities where EEE mosquitoes have been trapped includes Chester, Haddam, Hampton, Killingworth, Madison, North Stonington, Plainfield, Shelton, Stonington and Voluntown.

Scientists at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station said this week that their trapping system has now also identified mosquitoes carrying the potentially serious West Nile virus in 17 cities and towns across the state.

Those communities where West Nile virus carrying mosquitoes have been found now include Bridgeport, Chester, East Haven, Greenwich, Groton, Hartford, Manchester, New Haven, North Haven, North Stonington, Norwalk, South Windsor, Stamford and Voluntown.

State experts urged residents in all those areas to cover bare skin, use insect repellent sprays and wear insect repellent clothing when outdoors, particularly during the hours around dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.

Connecticut is having its worst outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis since 2013 and more communities are restricting outdoor evening activities because of the threat.
Connecticut is having its worst outbreak of Eastern equine encephalitis since 2013 and more communities are restricting outdoor evening activities because of the threat.

“We continue to see exceptionally high numbers of mosquitoes carrying EEE virus especially in communities in southeastern Connecticut,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, a medical entomologist at the experiment station. “In addition, we are detecting West Nile virus [mosquitoes] in numerous towns throughout the state.”

“Late summer-early fall is the critical time of the year when virus activity reaches its peak in the mosquito population,” Armstrong said.

While EEE infections are rare, the virus can be fatal. About 33 percent of people infected with EEE die from the disease.

West Nile virus is far less dangerous but more widespread, experts say.

“We are experiencing an extremely active season for EEE throughout much of the northeastern U.S. with multiple human and horse cases are now being reported in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island,” said Theodore Andreadis, director of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.

In late August, state officials were so worried about high concentrations of EEE and West Nile virus infected mosquitoes in eastern Connecticut’s Pachaug State Forest that they closed campgrounds and sprayed pesticides in those areas.

Gregory B. Hladky can be reached at ghladky@courant.com.