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2003: Jamestown Canyon Virus
Recently, the Jamestown Canyon Virus has been detected in mosquitoes as close as Westport, Connecticut through the Connecticut Agriculture Experiment Station's monitoring of mosquito-borne viruses. The virus, similar to the West Nile Virus, can be transferred to humans through the bite of a mosquito. The symptoms, however, are generally considered less severe than those of West Nile Virus and are reported as mild flu-like symptoms within 5 - 15 days of being bitten by an infected mosquito.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station reports that the virus has been detected in mosquitoes every year for the past six years. As far as preventive measures, they would be the same as those for West Nile Virus such as using insect repellent on bare skin, avoiding times of peak mosquito activity (dawn and dusk), and removing standing water from your properties to limit additional mosquito habitats and numbers of mosquitoes. Click here for more information on personal protective measures.
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