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Cancer Answers is hosted by Dr. Anees Chagpar, Associate Professor of Surgical Oncology and Director of The Breast Center at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and Dr. Francine Foss, Professor of Medical Oncology. The show features a guest cancer specialist who will share the most recent advances in cancer therapy and respond to listeners questions. Myths, facts and advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment are discussed, with a different focus eachweek. Nationally acclaimed specialists in various types of cancer research, diagnosis, and treatment discuss common misconceptions about the disease and respond to questions from the community.Listeners can submit questions to be answered on the program at canceranswers@yale.edu or by leaving a message at (888) 234-4YCC. As a resource, archived programs from 2006 through the present are available in both audio and written versions on the Yale Cancer Center website.

West Nile Virus Expands, But No Human Cases Reported Yet

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No cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in humans in the state this season, but officials are seeing an increase in the number of infected mosquitoes in Connecticut.

West Nile Virus is “rapidly expanding” in Connecticut, according to state officials, who said infected mosquitoes have been found in 20 towns.

Philip Armstrong, director of Connecticut’s mosquito monitoring program, said this month’s weather is a big reason for the spike in West Nile detections.

“These systems are very weather sensitive and, typically, it’s the hot, humid weather that really enhances the mosquito activity: their biting activity, and the mosquitoes reproduce more quickly,” Armstrong said. “So there are more of them in these types of conditions.”

Armstrong said Fairfield and New Haven Counties have been particularly hard-hit -- but so far this year, no human infections have been reported.

Death or severe illness from West Nile is rare, but Armstrong said elderly populations can be especially at risk. When outside, he said to cover up exposed skin and use mosquito repellant.

“The other thing I might add is that the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile Virus are most active at dusk and dawn, and into the evening hours,” Armstrong said. “Those are the times when you want to be most vigilant.”

Since 2000, a total of 131 human cases of West Nile have been diagnosed in Connecticut residents, and three people have died.

Patrick Skahill is a reporter and digital editor at Connecticut Public. Prior to becoming a reporter, he was the founding producer of Connecticut Public Radio's The Colin McEnroe Show, which began in 2009. Patrick's reporting has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. He has also reported for the Marketplace Morning Report. He can be reached at pskahill@ctpublic.org.

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