Press Release, East Shore District Health Department

The East Shore District Health Department has received confirmation that mosquitoes recently sampled in Branford carried the West Nile Virus. The mosquitoes were collected on August 1 at the Hosley Avenue site in Branford [vincinity Lake Saltonstall].

Mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus can be found in a wide variety of places, such as old tires, stagnant pools of ground water, artificial containers, or catch basins.

The 2024 summer high humidity, and frequent rainfall have created ideal conditions that are conducive to the spreading of West Nile Virus infected mosquitoes. To this date there have not been any human cases in Connecticut this summer. People are most vulnerable to the West Nile Virus in August and September. There’s a good deal of summer remaining, and that means that mosquitoes will be with us for several more months, and we need to take the proper precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Personal protection measures include:

Minimize time spent outdoors around dusk and dawn.

Be sure door and window screens are tight fitting and in good repair.

Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when and where mosquitoes are most active.

Use mosquito netting when sleeping and to protect small babies when outdoors.

Consider the use of mosquito repellent containing DEET when it is necessary to be outdoors.

The Health District is also advising that people continue eliminating stagnant water in and around their properties.

Drain water from outdoor containers, such as ceramic pots, buckets and used tires.

Drill holes in bottoms of recycling containers.

Clean clogged roof gutters

Turn over plastic wading pools, wheelbarrows, etc.

Change water in bird baths on a weekly basis.

Clean and chlorinate swimming pools that are not being used, including pool covers.

Use landscaping to eliminate standing water on your property.

Mosquitoes are collected approximately every 10 days. The Town of Branford has funded a mosquito larvicide program that includes application of larvicide to mosquito breeding areas, as well as storm water catch basin larvicide treatments. The East Shore District Health Department locally administers the program that includes mosquito and human surveillance and aggressive elimination of mosquito breeding conditions. For more information, you may call the Health District at (203) 481-4233 or visit its website at esdhd.org.