Mosquitoes trapped in 7 towns, primarily located in the southeastern part of the state, have tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus last week, and 14 towns have had mosquitoes bearing West Nile virus. Chester is on both those lists.

Each year there are reports about mosquitoes in the area testing positive for West Nile and EEE viruses, though this year, according to Connecticut River Area Health District Director of Health Scott Martinson, the season has started earlier and a higher number of mosquitoes are testing positive, which is cause for concern.

“This is the highest number of positive tests we have had, this time of year, in the past 10 to 15 years,” said Martinson said the increase is a result of the wet spring and summer.

“The more rain the potential for more breeding mosquitoes,” said Martinson. “That is why it is so important for people to make sure they remove all standing water from their property and the surround area. It only takes a very small amount of standing water to breed hundreds of thousands of mosquitoes.”

The mosquitoes that were gathered in mid-August from the state’s test site at Cockoponset State Forest in Chester tested positive for West Nile, which is transmitted via an insect bite. It can not be transmitted from person-to-person contact. It is the leading cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States and gives those infected by it West Nile fever. Usually those infected have no symptoms or mild symptoms including fever, headache, body aches, skin rashes and swollen lymph glands, however, it can cause neurological disease and even death.

The mosquitoes tested most recently in Haddam on Little City Road tested positive for EEE, which is a rare but serious disease caused by a virus. According to the Connecticut Department of Public Health, most people who get it never develop symptoms, however, if a mosquito infected with EEE bites a human or a horse, the person or animal can become sick. Symptoms of EEE are high fever, stiff neck, headache, and lack of energy. These symptoms can show up anywhere from 3 to 10 days after a bite from an infected mosquito and can last one to two weeks. A very small percentage of patients with the EEE virus have more serious symptoms, including encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, and can eventually cause a coma. The risk of getting EEE is highest from late July through September.

Martinson explained that there are no current state mosquito testing sites in Deep River or Essex, but he is urging all are residents to take the usual necessary precautions to avoid interaction with mosquitoes when possible. The first of these measures is to try and avoid being outdoors during dawn and dusk, when the insects are most active. In addition, use bug repellent and where long sleeves and long pants when possible.

“It’s pretty much the same precautions we have warning people about for years, but we all need to make sure that we are vigilant and aware that infected mosquitoes are out there and we are seeing higher numbers this year,” said Martinson.

He added, “The bottom line is that we want everyone to remain safe and healthy and do not want a human case of either of the viruses. If the state determines that we need to take action, there are plans in place for spraying if needed, but the hope is that it does not come to that.”

Mosquitoes are cold-blooded and generally do not feed in temperatures below 50 degrees. Some species go into hibernation during the colder months, and in other mosquito species it’s the larvae that go into hibernation in the winter. There are several different species of mosquitoes in the state of Connecticut and not all of them are human biters; some are day biters, other night biters, and some feed mostly on livestock.

The towns in which EEE was found include Chester, Haddam, Hampton, Killingworth, North Stonington, Stonington, and Voluntown. Towns that had mosquitoes with West Nile virus include Chester, East Haven, Greenwich, Groton, Hartford, Manchester, New Haven, North Haven, South Windsor, Stamford, Stonington, West Haven, Voluntown, and Wethersfield.