A Connecticut resident has tested positive for West Nile virus for the first time this season, according to the Connectiuct Department of Public Health.
A woman in New Haven County in her 60s tested positive in the first week of August, the agency said. The woman has since recovered.
Last year, seven residents tested positive in the state.
“The first report of a human case of WNV this season along with the ongoing detection of WNV-infected and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE)-infected mosquitoes in Connecticut and in neighboring states makes this an important time for health care providers to maintain a high index of suspicion for WNV and EEE,” said DPH Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani.
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West Nile virus is carried by mosquitoes and can be passed to humans.
Symptoms of West Nile virus include fever, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, rash, and gastrointestinal symptoms. For more serious cases, or neuroinvasive cases, symptoms can include a high fever, headache, still neck, and decreased consciousness, according to DPH.
West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes in 26 towns in Connecticut so far this season. Mosquitoes in three towns have tested positive for EEE.
