The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is reporting the year’s second human case of Eastern equine encephalitis.State health officials said a woman in her 60s was exposed to the EEE virus in Hampden County.As a result, the EEE risk level in Wilbraham has been raised to “critical,” while the risk levels in Hampden and Monson have been raised to “high.” All three communities are in Hampden County.In addition, the risk level in the Hampden County communities of Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Ludlow, Palmer and Springfield has been raised to “moderate.”The communities of Middleborough and Carver, in Plymouth County, were raised to critical risk on Aug. 3 after a Middleborough boy under the age of 18 became the first Massachusetts resident to test positive for EEE in 2020.Eight Massachusetts communities are at high risk for EEE, while 20 more are at moderate risk for the virus.According to the DPH, the EEE virus has been found in 65 mosquito samples this year, with over 70% of them in species of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus to people.Eastern equine encephalitis is a rare but potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. Last year, there were 12 human cases of EEE in Massachusetts with six deaths.All Massachusetts residents are reminded to use mosquito repellent any time they are outside, and those in high- and critical-risk communities are advised to schedule their outdoor activity to avoid the dusk to dawn hours in order to reduce exposure to the mosquitoes most likely to spread EEE.The DPH said it working with the local health departments and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to coordinate mosquito surveillance and appropriate public health response activities.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
BOSTON —
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is reporting the year’s second human case of Eastern equine encephalitis.
State health officials said a woman in her 60s was exposed to the EEE virus in Hampden County.
As a result, the EEE risk level in Wilbraham has been raised to “critical,” while the risk levels in Hampden and Monson have been raised to “high.” All three communities are in Hampden County.
In addition, the risk level in the Hampden County communities of Chicopee, East Longmeadow, Ludlow, Palmer and Springfield has been raised to “moderate.”
The communities of Middleborough and Carver, in Plymouth County, were raised to critical risk on Aug. 3 after a Middleborough boy under the age of 18 became the first Massachusetts resident to test positive for EEE in 2020.
Eight Massachusetts communities are at high risk for EEE, while 20 more are at moderate risk for the virus.
According to the DPH, the EEE virus has been found in 65 mosquito samples this year, with over 70% of them in species of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus to people.
Eastern equine encephalitis is a rare but potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. Last year, there were 12 human cases of EEE in Massachusetts with six deaths.
All Massachusetts residents are reminded to use mosquito repellent any time they are outside, and those in high- and critical-risk communities are advised to schedule their outdoor activity to avoid the dusk to dawn hours in order to reduce exposure to the mosquitoes most likely to spread EEE.
The DPH said it working with the local health departments and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to coordinate mosquito surveillance and appropriate public health response activities.
