BOSTON — As another summer rolls in, so does the threat of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).
On July 3, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) announced EEE was detected in mosquitoes in the state for the first time this year.
The presence of the potentially deadly virus was confirmed by a mosquito sample collected on July 1 in Orange, Mass.
So far, no human or animal cases of EEE have been reported in 2020.
The new findings suggest the risk level of EEE is now moderate for communities in Orange and Athol.
“We have been preparing for EEE activity this year,‘' said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “It is early in the year for the first evidence of EEE, therefore, continued mosquito surveillance over the next several weeks will help us understand more about how quickly the virus might emerge this year.”
EEE is rare, but if contracted can have devastating effects on the human body and can even be fatal. The disease is generally spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
In 2019, there were 12 human cases of EEE, which resulted in six deaths. There were also nine cases in domestic animals.
For more information on mosquito-borne diseases in the state, visit the DPH’s website here or by calling the DPH Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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