Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

Press Releases

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10/17/2017

Positive Mosquitoes for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Detected in Eastern Connecticut

 The State Mosquito Management Program announced today that mosquitoes trapped in two eastern Connecticut Towns: Hampton and Voluntown have tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus.  Mosquitoes were collected on October 5 and October 10 representing the first samples of EEE-positive mosquitoes identified in the state by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) this season.
“Although the weather has cooled and mosquito populations are declining, the late season detection of EEE virus in eastern Connecticut requires continued monitoring and attention,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at the CAES. “We will continue to trap and test mosquitoes in this region until the first killing frost."
"Mosquitoes are still active and residents should continue to take measures to prevent mosquito bites especially in wooded areas in eastern Connecticut" said Dr. Theodore Andreadis, Director of the CAES. "This includes using insect repellent and covering bare skin, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.”
Eastern equine encephalitis is a rare but serious viral disease in people.  On average there are 6 human cases reported each year in the United States. The mortality rate of hospitalized patients is about 30% and approximately one-half of people who survive infection suffer from permanent neurological damage.  In Connecticut, outbreaks of EEE have occurred sporadically in horses and pheasants since 1938. The first locally-acquired human case and fatality occurred in October 2013 in eastern Connecticut. 

The State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program is a collaborative effort involving the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the Department of Public Health, the Department of Agriculture, and the University of Connecticut Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science. These agencies are responsible for monitoring the potential public health threat of mosquito-borne diseases.
The CAES maintains a network of 91 mosquito-trapping stations in 72 municipalities throughout the state. Mosquito traps are set Monday – Thursday nights at each site every ten days on a rotating basis. Mosquitoes are grouped (pooled) for testing according to species, collection site, and date.  Positive findings are reported to local health departments and on the CAES website at https://www.ct.gov/caes/mosquitotesting.
For information on EEE and WNV and how to prevent mosquito bites, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program Web site at www.ct.gov/mosquito.

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