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State reports season’s first confirmed human case of EEE in Plymouth County

BOSTON — The first reported human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) of the season has been detected in Middleborough.

Health officials haven’t released many details, but they said the person who contracted EEE is a boy under the age of 18 and first began experiencing onset symptoms on July 20.

As a result of that person’s exposure to EEE, the risk level for the communities in Carver and Middleborough has been raised to critical.

In addition, Kingston, Plympton and Rochester are at high risk. Bridgewater, Halifax, Lakeville, Plymouth, and Wareham in Plymouth County, and Raynham and Taunton in Bristol County are now at moderate risk.

All residents are reminded to use mosquito repellent any time they are outside, and those in high and critical risk communities are advised to schedule their outdoor activity to avoid the dusk to dawn hours to reduce exposure to the mosquitoes most likely to spread EEE.

“EEE is rare, but it is a serious disease and public health concern, and we remind residents of the need to protect themselves from mosquito bites as EEE activity increases,” said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “The single best prevention tool continues to be avoiding mosquito bites by using repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, weather permitting, and avoiding outdoor activity between the hours of dusk and dawn in the highest risk areas.”

DPH advises people in high-risk areas to take precautions:

  • Apply insect repellent when going outdoors
  • Peak mosquito hours are from dusk to dawn
  • Wear long sleeves when you go out
  • Drain standing water anywhere near your home
  • Install or repair window screens to keep mosquitoes out

“I feel like living here we just deal with it,” said Stacey Hockenberry, a Middleborough parent. “It’s something always on our mind but we are very careful.”

Because of that threat, Middleborough has now banned all outdoor activities from dusk until dawn. Parents say they’ll do what they must in a year where being cautious is the new norm.

Mosquito samples form across the state have tested positive for both EEE and West Nile Virus (WNV)

On July 3, officials with the Department of Public Health announced the detection of the state’s first EEE-positive mosquito sample collected in Orange, Mass. Ever since then, the population has been warned to keep an eye out for mosquitoes, particularly during dawn and dusk.

Earlier this summer, experts were warning people to expect a particularly tough 2020 EEE season.

EEE virus has been found in 29 mosquito samples this year, including in species of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus to people.

So far, there has been no detection of EEE or WNV among animals. No humans have been reported to be infected with WNV yet.

In 2019, there were 12 human cases of EEE in Massachusetts, which resulted in six deaths.

You can find out more about the risk for EEE and WNV in the state through an interactive map here.


This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.


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