For the second week in a row, a mosquito in West Hartford has tested positive as a carrier of West Nile virus.

By Ronni Newton

For the second week in a row a mosquito trapped in West Hartford has tested positive for West Nile virus.

Spicebush Swamp, located on Mountain Road in West Hartford, is one of the state’s collection sites for mosquito testing. Health officials have confirmed the presence of West Nile Virus for the second week in a row, in a total of two of the 3,581 mosquitoes tested at Spicebush swamp, according to state data.

As of the middle of July, the virus had not been found in mosquitoes in this area, and was only found in specimens collected in lower Fairfield County and New Haven County.

West Nile is the leading mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which notes that cases of the virus are most commonly spread by the bite of an infected mosquito during the summer and fall season.

“There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat West Nile in people,” town officials stated in a news release. “Fortunately, most people infected with West Nile virus do not feel sick. About 1 in 5 infected people develop a fever and other symptoms. About 1 out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.”

The best way to prevent West Nile virus is to prevent mosquito bites through the use of repellants, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and by avoiding being outdoors at peak times when mosquitos are active – from dusk to dawn.

“Using air conditioning, installing window and door screens, and reducing mosquito breeding sites around the home can further decrease the risk for WNV exposure,” the town’s news release stated.

Some additional information about mosquito repellants can be found here in a recent Consumer Diary column and on the CDC Mosquitoes website.

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