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BOSTON (WBZNewsRadio) - State Officials are raising the risk of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) to high in Douglas, Dudley, Oxford, Southbridge, Sutton, and Webster. Now the Massachusetts Department of Health is urging residents to take precautions to keep from being bitten by mosquitos.
“While EEE is a rare disease, it can cause severe disease resulting in hospitalization and death,” said Public Health Commissioner Robert Goldstein, MD, PhD. “We want people to take this information seriously and follow advice to prevent mosquito bites. In this case, evidence suggests that staying indoors between the hours of dusk and dawn can decrease the risk from EEE. Risk is high enough in several towns that we recommend rescheduling outdoor events.”
The risk is being raised in other places too. Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Health also raised the risk of EEE to moderate in Auburn, Charlton, Grafton, Millbury, and Northbridge.
“The mosquitoes that are most likely to spread EEE are most active between the hours of dusk and dawn,” said Dr. Catherine M. Brown, State Epidemiologist. “But mosquitoes also try to bite during the day, in the shade or when it is cloudy; they also thrive in humid weather. Use mosquito repellents any time you are outdoors and if you find yourself swatting mosquitoes anyway, move indoors to get away from them.”
Another important reminder is to mosquito-proof your home, this includes draining standing water, including rain gutters and other draining around the home, which is a breeding ground for the blood-suckers. It's also essential to make sure any screens on windows and doors are tightly fitted.
The first positive case of EEE found in a mosquito in Massachusetts this year was announced on the first of September. The positive sample came from Douglas and Southbridge. No human or animal cases of EEE have been reported in the state in 2023. In Rhode Island, officials said mosquitos and a donkey tested positive this year.
In 2019, there were a dozen human cases of EEE in the Commonwealth, with six deaths. In 2020, there were five human cases, and just one death. In 2021 and 2022, no human cases of EEE were recorded.
WBZ's Tina Gao (@TinaGaoOnAir) reports
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