Press Releases
09/12/2024
Risk of Mosquito-borne Diseases Expands Across State
Residents Advised to Protect Themselves When Recreating Outdoors
EEE detections have expanded westward to new CT towns; EEE infection of a horse in Fairfield County
(HARTFORD)— The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) along with the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program is warning Connecticut residents that the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, mainly eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV), is still of concern.
Notably, EEE was recently detected at mosquito testing locations in Farmington and Manchester, the first EEE detections in central Connecticut this year. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture also recently reported the first documented case of EEE infection of a horse in Fairfield County. Due to these reports from across the state, DEEP urges all residents statewide to protect themselves from mosquitoes. Overall, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) has detected EEE-positive mosquitoes in 11 Connecticut towns this year, including Canterbury, Farmington, Griswold, Ledyard, Lyme, Manchester, North Stonington, Plainfield, Sterling, Stonington, and Voluntown. In addition, WNV-infected mosquitoes have been detected in 43 Connecticut towns. CAES regularly reports mosquito testing results to local health departments and on the CAES website.
“DEEP continues to encourage all Connecticut residents to take appropriate precautions against mosquito bites, especially when spending time outdoors,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “With the presence of both EEE and West Nile Virus in mosquitoes, it is very important that residents minimize time outdoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are prevalent and wear long sleeves and use insect repellent if outside during those times. Mosquito activity in the state will not end until the first hard frost, so residents should remain vigilant even if fall continues to bring cooler weather and lower levels of mosquito activity in the coming weeks.”
“Since there is no vaccine for EEE, protection from this virus depends on personal protective measures to decrease exposure to infected mosquitoes,” said Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. “Symptoms from EEE include severe headache and neck stiffness which can result in nausea, vomiting, and dehydration. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.”
"We continue to detect mosquitoes carrying EEE virus in communities in eastern Connecticut and more recently in central Connecticut,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at the CAES. “In addition, we are continuing to detect West Nile virus 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 and the risk is expected to continue until the first hard frost in October."
No human cases of EEE have been reported in Connecticut in 2024, but human cases have been reported in the Northeast states of Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire (one death in NH) and New Jersey. A white-tailed deer died from EEE in August in Lisbon, and as noted above, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture recently reported that the state’s first case of EEE in a domestic animal was documented in an unvaccinated horse in Fairfield County.
“The EEE vaccinations for horses are demonstrably protective, highly effective, and very safe. Horses without a EEE vaccine history have a high mortality rate, upwards of 95%, making it crucial that these be part of every horse’s core vaccine schedule,” stated Connecticut State Veterinarian Erin Masur, DVM. “While horses are most susceptible to EEE, mosquitoes can also transmit the virus to goats, turkeys, chickens, and humans. We urge residents to implement the necessary precautions to protect their animals and themselves.”
To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, residents should:
- Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
- When it is necessary to be outdoors, use mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. EPA registration of skin-applied repellent products indicates that they have been evaluated and approved for human safety and effectiveness when applied according to instructions on the label.
- Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light-colored and loose-fitting and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
- Wear clothing and gear treated with permethrin. Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes and ticks.
- Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.
- When sleeping outdoors, use tents or mosquito netting in an unscreened structure. Treat camping gear with permethrin when possible.
- Cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito nets when outside.
Residents are also encouraged to take steps at home to protect against mosquitoes, such as making sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair, and not letting stagnant water collect around your home. Dump water out of old tires, wheelbarrows, containers, and wading pools. More information on mosquito control around the home can be found on the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website.
Connecticut Mosquito Management Program
The response to mosquito transmitted diseases in Connecticut is a collaborative inter-agency effort involving the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Connecticut (UCONN). These agencies are responsible for monitoring mosquito populations and the potential public health threat of mosquito-borne diseases.
For information on EEE, West Nile Virus, and other mosquito-borne diseases, what can be done to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes, the latest mosquito test results, and human infections, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website.