WNV Positive Mosquitoes in Shelton

Date: September 1, 2026
Contact: Jessica Kristy, MPH, Director of Health
Email: jkristy@nvhd.org

PRESS RELEASE

WNV Positive Mosquitoes in Shelton

[Shelton] The Naugatuck Valley Health District (NVHD) has received confirmation that mosquitoes recently sampled in Shelton carried the West Nile Virus (WNV).

The mosquitoes were collected on August 25, 2026 in the Shelton Avenue area of Shelton at a trapping station monitored by The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) as part of the state’s Mosquito Management Program.

The detection of WNV in mosquitoes does not mean that all mosquitoes are infected or that a human case has occurred locally. However, it confirms local virus activity and reinforces the importance of preventing mosquito bites. State officials have reported increasing WNV activity, particularly in Fairfield and New Haven counties, with risk expected to continue through September.

“Residents throughout the Naugatuck Valley should take simple precautions to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites,” said Jessica Kristy, MPH, NVHD Director of Health. “This finding is an important reminder that West Nile virus is circulating in our area, even as summer comes to an end.”

The warm weather, high humidity, and frequent rainfall have created ideal conditions that are conducive to the spread of West Nile Virus infected mosquitoes. The species of mosquito that tested positive for WNV, Culex pipiens, can be found in a wide variety of places, such as old tires, stagnant pools of ground water, artificial containers, or catch basins.

NVHD recommends that residents:

• Minimize time spent outdoors between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• When it is necessary to be outdoors, use mosquito repellents containing an EPA-registered active ingredient, including DEET, Picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. EPA registration of skin-applied repellent products indicates that they have been evaluated and approved for human safety and effectiveness when applied according to instructions on the label.
• 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, loose-fitting, and made of tightly woven materials that keep mosquitoes away from the skin.
• Wear clothing and gear treated with permethrin. Permethrin is an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes and ticks.
• Be sure door and window screens are tight-fitting and in good repair.
• When sleeping outdoors, use tents or mosquito netting in an unscreened structure. Treat camping gear with permethrin when possible.
• Cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito nets when outside.
• Replace your outdoor lights with yellow “bug” lights, which tend to attract fewer mosquitoes than ordinary lights. The yellow lights are NOT repellents, however.

Additionally, NVHD recommends the following steps to remove mosquito habitats:

• Eliminate standing water in rain gutters, old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, tires, or any other container where mosquitoes can breed.
• Turn over plastic wading pools, wheelbarrows, etc.
• Empty and change the water in bird baths, fountains, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.
• Keep swimming pool water treated and circulating.
• Use landscaping to eliminate standing water on your property.

The State of Connecticut Mosquito Management Program is a collaborative effort involving the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Department of Agriculture (DoAg), and the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL) at the University of Connecticut (UCONN). These agencies are responsible for monitoring the potential public health threat of mosquito-borne diseases, including WNV and EEE.

Mosquito trapping is conducted daily from June through October at 108 permanent locations throughout the state. The Shelton trap site is the only site in the Naugatuck Valley Health District jurisdiction.

Mosquito traps are set and attended by CAES staff about every 10 days on a regular rotation, and then at least once a week after detection of the virus, in order to assess potential public health risks. Mosquitoes are grouped (pooled) for testing according to species, collection site, and date. Positive findings are reported to local health departments/district and on the CAES website at portal.ct.gov/CAES/Mosquito-Testing/Introductory/State-of-Connecticut-Mosquito-Trapping-and-Arbovirus-Testing-Program.

On August 27, 2026, CT DPH announced the first human case of WNV-associated illness in a Connecticut resident this season. The case is a male resident of Middlesex County and is between 30-39 years of age. That press release is available here: https://portal.ct.gov/mosquito/press-room/2026-press-releases/ct-department-of-public-health-announces-first-human-case-of-west-nile-virus-infection-this-year.

Towns with West Nile virus (WNV) Infected Mosquitoes this week: Bethel, Darien, Hamden, New Haven, Orange, Shelton, Stamford, Trumbull, West Hartford, Weston, Westport, Woodbridge

Towns with West Nile virus (WNV) Infected Mosquitoes in 2026: Bethel, Branford, Bridgeport, Cheshire, Cromwell, Danbury, Darien, East Haven, Fairfield, Greenwich, Haddam, Hamden, Killingworth, Manchester, Meriden, Middlefield, Milford, Montville, New Britain, New Canaan, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, North Stonington, Norwalk, Old Lyme, Orange, Shelton, South Windsor, Stonington, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, West Hartford, West Haven, Weston, Westport, Woodbridge

Counties with West Nile virus (WNV) Human Cases: Fairfield = 1, Middlesex = 1

For more information, visit: https://portal.ct.gov/mosquito or https://www.cdc.gov/mosquitoes/prevention/index.html.