Submitted by Paul Hutcheon, Director of Health, Town of Killingworth.
Editor’s Note: Mosquitos in Haddam also tested positive for EEE, so all of the precautions mentioned for Killingworth are also applicable for Haddam.
Mosquitoes in Killingworth Test Positive
for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)
Mosquitoes trapped in Killingworth have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Some of the mosquitoes tested were species that are known to bite humans.
EEE is a rare but serious disease caused by a virus that is transmitted by mosquitoes. Historically, the virus has been found in trapped mosquitoes in Connecticut, but only one person has contracted EEE. The mortality rate is high, however, and that case resulted in death in 2013.
All residents of Killingworth and Haddam are advised to avoid outdoor activities from one hour before to one hour after dawn and dusk.
Additional precautions to avoid mosquito bites include:
- Be sure door and window screens are tight fitting and in good repair.
- While outdoors, wear shoes, socks, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts. Clothing material should be tightly woven.
- Use mosquito netting if sleeping outdoors.
- Consider using mosquito repellent when it is necessary to be outdoors and always use them according to label instructions. The most effective repellents contain DEET or Picaridin. Oil of lemon eucalyptus is also effective for brief periods of exposure.
- When using DEET, use the lowest concentration effective for the time spent outdoors (for example, 6% lasts approximately 2 hours and 20% for 4 hours) and wash treated skin when returning indoors. Do not apply under clothing, to wounds or irritated skin, the hands of children, or to infants less than 2 months.
Measures to reduce mosquitoes around the home include:
- Dispose of water-holding containers, such as ceramic pots, used tires, and tire swings, and clogged gutters.
- Drill holes in the bottom of containers such as those used for recycling.
- Change water in bird baths on a weekly basis.
- Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, and cover pools when not in use.
- Use landscaping to eliminate areas where water can collect on your property.
Additional resources for information on EEE and mosquito management can be found at http://www.ct.gov/mosquito/site/default.asp
Due to the occurrence of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in this area the public is advised to take these personal precautions:
- Minimize time spent outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially at dawn and dusk.
- Be sure door and window screens are tight fitting and in good repair.
- Wear shoes, socks, long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors when mosquitoes are active. Clothing should be light colored and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
- Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect small babies when outdoors.
- Consider the use of mosquito repellent, according to directions, when it is necessary to be outdoors.
- After returning indoors, wash any treated skin with soap and water.
- Don’t let stagnant water collect around your home. Dump out old tires, wheelbarrows, and wading pools. Remind or help neighbors to eliminate breeding sites on their properties.
For further information on mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program’s website: http://www.portal.ct.gov/mosquito
For more information in Killingworth, please contact the Killingworth Health Department at (860) 663-1765 x223.
The current most widely read article at the Boston Globe website is about the death of Jeff Fuller of Middleborough, Massachusetts from EEE. Fuller was bitten by a mosquito with the virus 8 years ago at age 43. He succumbed to it after a grueling 8 year battle recently. In the article his wife, Maureen, said this: “It decimated his brain.” This warning should be taken very seriously.