Local authorities in Massachusetts, a US state, are on high alert after detecting a potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus, according to a report from BBC.
Nearly a dozen towns across the state have closed public parks at night and restricted evening outdoor activities as officials work to curb the spread of the “very serious” disease. Comment known as “Triple E,” EEE is a rare but dangerous virus transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito.
State health officials have placed ten communities at high or critical risk after detecting infected mosquitoes in the region and the state’s first confirmed human case of the virus since 2020.
An elderly man in his 80s was diagnosed with the virus on August 16 following the detection of EEE in a horse in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The horse’s diagnosis raised the town’s EEE risk level.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis is known for its severe health impacts. According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the disease has a fatality rate ranging from 33% to 70%, with most deaths occurring within two to ten days after the onset of symptoms.
The infected may experience a range of symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, headaches, seizures, and vomiting.
“EEE is a rare but serious disease and a public health concern,” Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein was quoted as saying by the BBC. “We want to remind residents of the need to protect themselves from mosquito bites, especially in areas of the state where we are seeing EEE activity.”
To control the spread of the virus, officials have initiated aerial spraying of the pesticide Anvil 10+10, an EPA-registered product commonly used in mosquito control.
In addition, state health officials are advising residents to avoid outdoor activities during peak mosquito activity hours, particularly in the evening, until the end of September.