The danger stage for West Nile virus has been elevated to excessive within the Boston space after a second individual of their 70s examined optimistic for the mosquito-borne virus in Suffolk County, based on the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
State well being officers are urging residents to take precautions to keep away from mosquito bites, as DPH on Friday introduced the second human case of West Nile virus within the state this 12 months.
The particular person who examined optimistic was a person in his 70s who was uncovered to the virus in Suffolk County. The first human case of the summer time was a girl in her 70s who was additionally uncovered in Suffolk County.
As a results of this second human case in Suffolk County, DPH has raised the West Nile virus danger stage from average to excessive for Boston, Brookline, Cambridge and Somerville. It’s the one a part of Massachusetts that’s at present at excessive danger for the virus.
“August and September are the months when most cases of West Nile virus occur,” Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke stated after the primary human case was reported in August. “Although the significant drought conditions that exist across the Commonwealth have kept the populations of the Culex mosquito species that are most likely to spread WNV relatively small, today’s news is an important reminder that we all need to take steps to protect ourselves and our families from mosquito bites.”
The state has reported 76 optimistic mosquito samples to date this summer time. The counties with optimistic mosquito samples embody Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk, Essex, Bristol, Plymouth, Worcester, Barnstable, Dukes, Hampden and Hampshire.
WNV is normally transmitted to people via the chunk of an contaminated mosquito. While WNV can infect folks of all ages, folks over the age of fifty are at increased danger for extreme illness.
Most folks contaminated with WNV may have no signs. When current, WNV signs have a tendency to incorporate fever and flu-like sickness. In uncommon circumstances, extra extreme sickness can happen. No human or animal circumstances of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) have been detected to date this 12 months in Massachusetts.
Meanwhile, communities are spraying for mosquitoes because of the presence of West Nile virus of their cities and cities.
One of these municipalities is Brockton, which was notified of a optimistic WNV mosquito on Friday by the Plymouth County Mosquito Control Project. The contaminated mosquito was discovered within the Campello part on Brockton’s south aspect.
“To protect residents, technicians from the Plymouth County Mosquito Control Project will begin to spray the entire city with mosquito-killing aerosol, beginning Wednesday, Sept. 7,” the town stated in an announcement. “The spray is harmless to humans and has no harmful impact to the environment. The spraying will begin in the Campello neighborhood where the infected mosquito was found.”
State well being officers are reminding folks to keep away from mosquito bites by making use of insect repellent when open air, contemplate rescheduling out of doors actions that happen throughout night or early morning, and to put on long-sleeves, lengthy pants and socks when open air to assist hold mosquitoes away out of your pores and skin.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”