Mosquitoes found carrying West Nile virus

Health district advising that people continue eliminating stagnant water in and around their properties.

NORTH BRANFORD » The East Shore District Health Department has received confirmation that mosquitoes recently sampled in North Branford carried the West Nile virus.

The mosquitoes were collected July 31 from the Cedar Pond area, according to a press release. The species of mosquito carrying the West Nile virus can be found in a variety of places, such as old tires, stagnant pools of ground water, artificial containers and catch basins.

According to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile have also been found in West Haven, Greenwich, South Windsor, Stratford and Westport.

The warm weather, high humidity and frequent rainfall have created ideal conditions that are conducive to the spreading of West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes, the release stated. There have not been any human cases in Connecticut this summer. In 2016, there was one human case of West Nile virus in Milford, according to the release.

People are most vulnerable to the virus in August and September. The health district advise proper precautions to avoid mosquito bites, such as minimizing time spent outdoors around dusk and dawn; making sure door and window screens are tight fitting and in good repair; wearing shoes, socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when and where mosquitoes are most active, using mosquito netting when sleeping and to protect small babies when outdoors, and considering the use of mosquito repellent containing DEET.