The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Mosquito Management Program is going to be spraying for mosquitoes carrying Eastern Equine Encephalitis in part of Pachaug State Forest on Thursday afternoon and they are warning people to avoid the area where spraying will happen.
Spraying will be done in the Mt. Misery area of Pachaug State Forest this afternoon, where DEEP said mosquitoes carrying EEE continue to be detected at high levels.
While there have been no cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in humans or animals so far this season, the risk level in the eastern part of the state for the EEE virus is elevated and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Mosquito Management Program will be spraying today to minimize the potential for spread of the virus to humans, DEEP said.
The spray contains sumithrin and prallethrin and DEEP said campers have been notified of the spraying and have been advised to leave the area while spraying is done.
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Entrances to the State Forest will be closed beginning at 2 p.m. Thursday and the forest and nearby roads will be closed for the evening and reopen at 8 a.m. on Friday.
Road closures
The following forest roads will be closed beginning at 2 p.m. Thursday:
- DEP Trail 1
- Gardner Road
- Stone Hill Road
- Trail 1
- Lee Road
- Lawrence Road
- Trail 2
- Route 49 North entrance
Road gates in these areas will be closed during this time, and visitors are advised to plan visits and activities accordingly and avoid the area while spraying is conducted. Campers have been advised to avoid the area until at least 7 p.m. Thursday.
Local
Where EEE has been detected in Connecticut
EEE has been detected in the following towns this year:
- Canterbury
- Griswold
- Hampton
- Killingly
- Ledyard
- Mansfield
- Plainfield
- Stonington
- Thompson
- Tolland
- Voluntown
- Willington
- Woodstock
“DEEP encourages residents to take appropriate precautions as we are still not through the mosquito season,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a statement. “With the presence of EEE in mosquitoes in eastern Connecticut and West Nile Virus in other areas of the state, it’s very important that residents minimize time outdoors during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are prevalent, and wear long sleeves and utilize bug spray if out at any point during those times.”
Dr. Philip Armstrong, medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, said mosquitoes are still active, and residents should continue to take measures to prevent mosquito bites.
He said there is continued risk for mosquito-borne diseases until the first hard freeze.
Symptoms EEE can cause
Connecticut Department of Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani said Symptoms from EEE include severe headache and neck stiffness which can result in nausea, vomiting, and dehydration.
“Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately,” she said.
How to minimize risk
To reduce the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes, residents should:
- Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
- Consider the use of mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-methane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone when it is necessary to be outdoors.
- Wear shoes, socks, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoors for long periods of time, or when mosquitoes are more active. Clothing should be light-colored and loose-fitting and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
- Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.
- Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in an unscreened structure and to protect infants when outdoors.
Learn more on EEE, West Nile Virus, and other mosquito-borne diseases and how to prevent getting bitten by mosquitoes as well as the latest mosquito test results, and human infections on the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program website at https://portal.ct.gov/mosquito
