Newtown Health District was notified late Thursday, September 3, that a Newtown resident has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). The individual is between the age of 30 and 39 Newtown Health District Director Donna Culbert said, and began experiencing symptoms August 14.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) is also reporting that new human cases also just turned up in Greenwich and Danbury. The state’s first WNV infection in humans for 2020 was August 17 and involved a Waterbury resident.

That patient, who is between 40 and 49 years of age, became ill with West Nile fever during the second week of July and is recovering. While the person lives in Waterbury, they may have been exposed to WNV in the Newington/Wethersfield area, the state DPH said.

“Our most current information is that our resident is now home recovering,” Culbert told The Newtown Bee after receiving the update. “We’re send our thoughts to our affected residents across the state, and hope they all experience a full recovery.”

West Nile Virus is spread by infected culex-species mosquitoes, commonly found in Connecticut and in the northeast region, Culbert said.

West Nile Virus is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the continental United States the state DEEP says. It is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito.

Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall. There are no vaccines to prevent or medications to treat WNV in people.

Fortunately, most people infected with WNV do not feel sick. About one in five people who are infected develop a fever and other symptoms. About one out of 150 infected people develop a serious, sometimes fatal, illness.

As recently reported in The Newtown Bee, Newtown has a trapping site which is part of the DEEP CAES Mosquito trapping testing program. But Culbert added that there have not been any positive mosquitoes identified among the nearly 2,300 mosquitoes trapped so far this year.

“However, the presence of WNV is common this time of year,” Culbert said.

The most important thing residents can do, she said, is minimize their exposure to mosquitoes and mosquito bites. Residents should apply personal protection, long sleeves and pants, use of repellent, and avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active for feeding.

The health officials said residents should also check screens and repair them as necessary to keep mosquitoes from entering your home, and check for openings where the insects could enter.

According to the state mosquito management’s website, West Nile Virus was first identified in Connecticut in 1999. To help learn more about the epidemiology of WNV in Connecticut, the Department of Public Health (DPH) in collaboration with other state agencies and local governments implemented surveillance systems in 2000.

These surveillance systems included tracking WNV infections in humans, horses, wild birds, and mosquitoes.

“As people go outside to enjoy the nice weather during the upcoming Labor Day weekend, it is important to take actions to prevent mosquito bites.” said DPH Acting Commissioner Dr. Diedre Gifford. “Severe illness can occur in people of any age, but people over 60 are at greater risk. Using insect repellent, covering bare skin, and avoiding being outdoors during the hours of dusk and dawn are effective ways to help keep you from being bitten by mosquitoes. The risk of WNV doesn’t end until the first hard frost of fall."

“Late summer-early fall is the critical time of year when West Nile virus reaches its peak in the mosquito population,” said Dr. Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at the CAES. “We strongly encourage residents throughout the state to take simple steps to prevent mosquito bites.”

Access the Connecticut Mosquito Management program website for more information by visiting: https://portal.ct.gov/mosquito