The Department of Health has announced the discovery of a dangerous but rare virus that causes encephalitis in eastern horses, which was first detected in mosquitoes this year in Connecticut, according to state health officials, according to CBS News.
Mosquitoes found in the Patchoge Forest during late September carried this dangerous virus, known as "EEE," experts recommended that residents in southeastern Connecticut take precautions against mosquitoes.
Tests from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment cript async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-4345869950802403" crossorigin="anonymous"> Station showed that infected mosquitoes were a species that bites some birds and bites mammals.
"We encourage residents of southeastern Connecticut to take simple measures such as wearing mosquito repellent and covering the naked body, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active," said state public health commissioner Manisha Gothani.
"While the discovery of the EEE virus is concerning, it is important to remember that we do not expect to see much mosquito activity in October," Jothani continued, according to "USA Today."
The mosquito-borne virus causes severe encephalitis in about 2% of infected adults and 6% of infected children, but EEE is rare, occurring in about 5 to 10 people per year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
No human cases have been reported this year, and although it is rare in humans, the fatality rate is as high as 30%, and many of those who recover still have severe neurological problems.
West Nile virus has also been detected in mosquitoes in more than 40 cities across the state this year, and 3 people have been infected in Hartford, Bridgeport and West Haven.
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