EEE has been detected in mosquitoes within the Bay State for the primary time this yr, as the danger stage for EEE was raised in communities forward of Labor Day weekend.
After zero EEE exercise in Massachusetts during the last two years, the state Department of Public Health introduced the season’s first Eastern equine encephalitis constructive mosquito samples.
The presence of EEE was confirmed on Friday by the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory in mosquito samples collected in Douglas and Southbridge in Worcester County. No human or animal instances of the uncommon however critical and probably deadly illness have been detected up to now this yr.
This EEE detection comes after the Department of Public Health earlier this week reported the primary two human instances of West Nile virus in state residents this yr. A person in his 40s was uncovered to the virus in Middlesex County, which is an space already recognized to be at average danger for West Nile virus. The different case is a lady in her 70s, who was uncovered to the virus in one other a part of the nation.
After the EEE constructive mosquito samples, the danger stage of EEE has been raised to average in Douglas, Dudley, Southbridge, Sturbridge, Uxbridge, and Webster in Worcester County.
“After the EEE outbreak cycle that occurred in 2019 and 2020, there was no EEE activity in Massachusetts in 2021 or 2022,” mentioned Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein.
“This is a late season emergence for EEE which should keep the risk level from rising too much or too quickly,” Goldstein added. “However, some risk from mosquito-borne disease will continue until the first hard frost and people should take steps to prevent mosquito bites.”
EEE is mostly unfold to people by way of the chew of an contaminated mosquito. There had been 12 human instances of EEE in Massachusetts in 2019 with six deaths, and 5 human instances with one demise in 2020.
There had been no human instances of EEE in Massachusetts in 2021 or 2022.
“Transmission of EEE to a person late in the season can happen,” mentioned State Epidemiologist Catherine M. Brown. “Mosquitoes will be more active during warm and humid weather as we are forecast to have this weekend.”
Brown added, “I encourage everyone to use mosquito repellent when they are outdoors enjoying the last unofficial weekend of summer; you can also use clothing to cover exposed skin and if you notice that you are getting bitten, you should consider moving indoors.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”