Mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile Virus in nine towns in Connecticut. Scientists have said that the number is expected to go up.

Dr. Philip Armstrong said, “What we’re seeing just in the last week or two is a real substantial increase in the number of West Nile infected mosquitoes and we’re seeing further spread into new towns,” .

Dr. Armstrong is the Director of the Statewide Mosquito Monitoring Program at the Connecticut Agricultural Experimental Station. Armstrong said that the weather has been contributing to the rapid increase in the disease this year.

Armstrong informed, “West Nile is, usually occurs during hot, dry summers with the conditions that we’re seeing this year,” . He said that since the beginning of the season, 41 samples of the insects have tested positive, 24 of those were in the last week alone. Positive samples have been found in Stamford, Bridgeport, Stratford, Easton, Hartford, Newington, Darien, West Hartford and West Haven.

He added that they have collected samples from 91 locations across the state and find the bulk of infected mosquitoes are found in densely populated urban and suburban locations. The mosquitoes breed in areas with stagnant water, like storm drains and ponds.

West Nile was first found in the state back in 1999. To date, three people have died from the disease. So far this year no human cases have been reported in Connecticut.

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By Prakriti Neogi