Jul. 30--Mosquitoes that tested positive for the West Nile virus have been found in New Haven, Hamden, East Haven, Hartford, Darien and Norwalk, among others, bringing the tally of affected municipalities to 11 statewide, officials said Tuesday.
Mosquitoes carrying the virus previously had been found in Milford, Greenwich, Stamford and Stonington.
A Sherman resident remains this year's only reported human case of the virus, but with higher-than-usual numbers of infected mosquitoes statewide, state officials are asking the public to take precautions against mosquito bites.
New Haven's Health Department began its annual distribution of free insect repellent at senior centers Tuesday. The city gives away about 600 bottles of repellent each year.
Mary Jane Simmons picked up a bottle of the repellent for her grandchildren while she was quilting at the West River Senior Center Tuesday.
"They don't bite me," Simmons said. "I don't go in the park."
With mosquito populations booming statewide, the city also is taking measures to limit the spread, treating standing water and catch basins with larvicide, said Health Department Director William Quinn.
July's hot rainstorms have created ripe conditions for mosquitoes, and state experts have detected levels of the virus already on par with peak seasons of previous years.
"I don't recall seeing this much virus this widespread this early in the season," said Theodore Andreadis, chief medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.
Experts expect virus activity will intensify into August.
"Usually when we find infected mosquitoes in communities, the human cases seem to follow. We're asking the public to avoid being bitten," said Andreadis. "Repellent is most important."
The virus, first found in the state in 1999, is fatal in about 4 percent of cases. While the virus is most severe for elderly victims, new research has shown younger patients may not fully recover.
"While we had originally thought most people fully recover, we are finding a significant number of people who do not fully recover, even 15 months or longer after being sick," Andreadis said.
Long after being infected, patients still report muscle weakness, fatigue and some disorientation, he said. "It's best not to become infected."
According to the state Department of Health, steps residents can take to reduce the number of mosquitoes around their homes include elimination of standing water, disposal of water-holding containers, cleaning clogged roof gutters, changing water in bird baths every week and cleaning and chlorinating swimming pools.
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