NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- The third human case of West Nile virus in New Haven was reported Thursday, bringing the number of cases in Connecticut for the year to seven.

The infected person is a New Haven resident is described by the Department of Public Health as being between the ages of 50 and 59 years old. The individual began experiencing fever, headache, stiff neck and nausea during the first week of September.

According to the DPH, the person spent considerable time outdoors.

Spraying began Thursday in a concentrated area of New Haven and West Haven to combat the spread of the disease through mosquitoes.

The areas sprayed were the wooded areas along West River from Whalley Avenue to Kimberly Avenue that have been identified as a hot spot for the virus.

Mosquitoes in 17 of the state's cities and towns have tested positive for West Nile Virus. They include: Bridgeport, Danbury, Darien, East Haven, Glastonbury, Greenwich, Hartford, Killingworth, Milford, New Haven, Newington, Norwalk, Southington, Stamford, Stratford, West Haven and Wethersfield.

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