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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A second case of West Nile Virus has been reported in a 60-year-old woman from Essex County.
The announcement comes one day after the first case was discovered in Middlesex County. A woman in her 70s was the first to be exposed to the virus this year.
Following the second infection, officials are warning of elevated risk levels in several areas, including Belmont, Cambridge, Everett, Malden, Melrose, Revere, Saugus, Somerville, Wakefield, and Watertown.
The first mosquitoes in the state tested positive on June 17. Since then, 364 mosquito samples have tested positive from counties across the state.
Read More: First Case Of West Nile Virus This Year In Middlesex County
State Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein suggests residents take precautions against the mosquito-borne illness by using insect repellent when outdoors, being aware of peak mosquito hours, wearing clothing that reduces mosquito bites, draining standing water in and outside homes, and installing or repairing screens on all windows and doors.
"Massachusetts is in peak season for the spread of West Nile virus," Goldstein said in a statement. "While the temperatures have dropped slightly, this is the time of year when most people get exposed to the virus."
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.