First West Nile Virus Case In Connecticut Reported

NEW HAVEN, CT — A city man has been diagnosed with the first case of West Nile Virus this season, according to the state's department of health. The patient is between the ages of 50 and 59, and was hospitalized for high fever, dehydration and confusion.

The DPH says laboratory tests revealed antibodies were found in the patient's cerebrospinal fluid.

"The identification of a Connecticut resident with West Nile virus associated illness that required hospitalization underscores the potential seriousness of the infection," said DPH Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino in a statement. "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 disease has been detected in the state every year since 1990. There is no known vaccine or medication for West Nile Virus, according to the CDC. This year, the virus has been detected in mosquitos at trap sites in 26 towns statewide.

"We continue to have weather conditions that are favorable for the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus," said Dr. Philip Armstrong, Medical Entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment station (CAES) in a statement. "These mosquitoes are most abundant in urban and suburban areas with dense human populations. West Nile virus positive mosquitoes were first identified in New Haven on August 16th."