Newtown Health District was notified by CT Department of Public Health (DPH) on Monday, September 14, of a positive test result for West Nile Virus at the mosquito testing site at the trapping station in Newtown. West Nile Virus is spread by infected culex species mosquitoes; such mosquitoes are common in Connecticut and in the northeast region. The CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) and CT Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) Mosquito trapping testing program includes a trapping site in Newtown. This is the first reporting for positive mosquitoes identified in the trap this year, and the presence of West Nile virus is common this time of year.

Newtown Health District Director Donna Culbert said via email she was "not surprised by this news; we commonly see WNV around this time of year...this season has been rainy and warm.

"Along with the ever abundant tick population, it is important for residents to take precautions to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes as well," Culbert added. The State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program is a collaborative effort involving DEEP, CAES, DPH, the Department of Agriculture, and the University of Connecticut Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science. These agencies are responsible for monitoring the potential public health threat of mosquito-borne diseases. The CAES maintains a network of 108 mosquito-trapping stations throughout the state. Mosquito traps are set every ten days on a rotating basis and then a minimum of once a week after detection of virus. Mosquitoes are grouped (pooled) for testing according to species, collection site, and date. Positive findings are reported to local health departments and on the CAES website at portal.ct.gov/CAES/Mosquito-Testing/Introductory/State-of-Connecticut-Mosquito-Trapping-and-Arbovirus-Testing-Program. For information on WNV and EEE, what can be done to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes, the latest mosquito test results and human infections, visit the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website. The most important thing residents can do is minimize their exposure to mosquitoes and mosquito bites: use personal protection wearing long sleeves and pants, use insect repellent, and avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active for feeding. Residents should also continue to eliminate standing water around their homes, check screens and repair as necessary, and check for openings to their homes where insects could enter.