A mosquito sample in Massachusetts tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE), state public health officials said.
The sample was collected July 1 near the city of Orange in Franklin County, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said in a statement released Friday.
“No human or animal case of EEE has been detected so far this year,” the statement said. “Today’s finding increases the level of EEE risk to moderate in the Orange and Athol communities.”
Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel said the state has been preparing for a rare but sometimes deadly resurgence of the disease this year, adding that continued surveillance of mosquitoes in the coming weeks “will help us understand more about how fast the virus could emerge this year. ” “
Humans are generally exposed to the virus through mosquito bites. Last year, half of the 12 infected people died. There were nine pets that also contracted the disease in 2019.
“People have spent time indoors due to COVID-19 and now, as we venture out, we want to remind people of the need to protect themselves and their loved ones from mosquito-borne illness,” said the State epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown. , who pointed the public to the state’s website that tracks mosquito and tick risk. “We are also asking people to stay aware of the level of virus activity in the areas where they live, work and play.”
The statement added that the public should take precautionary measures, such as applying mosquito repellents and considering decreasing outdoor activities between dusk and dawn, when the presence of insects is at its peak. She also recommended that people drain any standing water on their properties that may attract mosquitoes.
In the following video, Brown explains more about the precautionary measures residents can take against the EEA:
