The Connecticut Department of Health released a statement on Friday, October 4 regarding 16 towns that have mosquitos that tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), Newtown being one of them. Other affected towns include Canterbury, Chester, Farmington, Griswold, Groton, Killingworth, Ledyard, Lyme, Manchester, North Stonington, Plainfield, Sterling, Stonington, Trumbull, and Voluntown. No human cases have been reported in Connecticut so far.

The EEE virus is spread through mosquitoes. The statement from Newtown District of Health states, “The virus is generally maintained by an exclusive bird-biting mosquito called Culiseta melanura but has been found in nine other mosquito species in Connecticut, six of which are known to bite people.”

The symptoms of EEE are fever and chills, like most other illnesses common this time of year, but there are stark differences.

Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, said, “Since there is no vaccine for EEE for use in humans, protection from this virus depends on personal protective measures to decrease exposure to infected mosquitoes.” Juthani explained, “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.”

Director of Health for Newtown Health District, Donna Culbert, said, “It doesn’t surprise me that we have positive tests for EEE … it’s common this time of year.” She added, “We don’t have West Nile virus yet, but I won’t be surprised.”

The statement from Newtown Health District says, “This is the first reporting for positive mosquitoes identified in the trap this year, and the presence of West Nile and EEE virus is common this time of year.”

John Shepard, medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), said, “Although mosquito numbers are declining with the onset of cool weather, we continue to detect EEE virus, some of which are being found in new communities in Connecticut.” Shepard added, “There is continued risk for mosquito-borne diseases until the first hard freeze when mosquito activity ends.”

There are steps readers can take to minimize their exposure to mosquitoes, and therefore mosquito-borne illnesses.

It is recommended to minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn, and for those who are going outside to wear long sleeves, pants, and socks. Permethrin treated clothing is great as it is an insecticide for ticks and mosquitoes. Be sure that doors and windows are fitted properly with screens and that there are no holes for bugs to slip through. The Connecticut Department of Health also recommends covering strollers and baby carriers with mosquito nets. And of course, perhaps the most simple and important step in protecting oneself against mosquitoes is using insect repellent with DEET.

Specifically, the Connecticut Department of Health recommends using “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.”

It is important for readers to know that the CAES maintains a network of 108 mosquito-trapping stations in 89 towns throughout the state, including one here in Newtown. Mosquito traps are set Monday-Thursday nights at each site every ten days on a rotating basis and then once or twice a week after detection of virus. Positive findings are reported to local health departments and on the CAES website at portal.ct.gov/caes.

EEE is a rare but serious illness in humans with four to eight reported in a typical year in the US. To date this season, 13 human cases have been reported in seven states including Massachusetts (4), New Hampshire (4), Vermont (1), New York (1), Rhode Island (1), New Jersey (1), and Wisconsin (1); two of these were fatal. EEE is the most severe mosquito-transmitted disease in the US with approximately 40 percent mortality and significant brain damage in half of survivors.

Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.