Three new human cases of West Nile virus have been detected in Massachusetts residents, the Department of Public Health announced Tuesday. All three are in their 60s, according to Massachusetts health officials. One is a woman infected in southern Bristol County. The second is a man in his 60s who was infected in Suffolk County, an area already at high risk for infection. The third is a man infected in Barnstable County. This brings the total number of West Nile virus cases in Massachusetts this year to 10. No animal cases of West Nile virus have been detected so far this year. The risk level for West Nile virus has been raised to high for the Barnstable, Mashpee, Sandwich and Yarmouth areas of Barnstable County. Massachusetts health officials reported the state’s fourth case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis on Monday, a man in his 50s infected in parts of Middlesex County. Link: Massachusetts Department of Health’s Mosquito-Borne Virus Risk Map The Massachusetts Department of Health said there have been two confirmed cases of EEE in horses and 91 confirmed mosquito samples that tested positive for EEE so far this season. EEE has no cure, and health officials say about half of people diagnosed with EEE in Massachusetts die. The last outbreak of EEE in Massachusetts occurred in 2019-2020, resulting in 17 cases and seven deaths. Mosquito safety tips from MassDPH: Prevent mosquito bites Use insect repellent when outdoors. Use insect repellents that contain EPA-registered ingredients such as DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), or lemon eucalyptus oil (p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) or IR3535) according to the product label directions. DEET products should not be used on infants under 2 months of age, and should be used at a concentration of 30% or less on older children. Lemon eucalyptus oil should not be used on children under 3 years of age. Be aware of times when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Dusk to dawn is the most common time for many mosquitoes to bite. In high-risk areas, consider rescheduling outdoor activities for the evening or early morning. Clothing makes it harder for mosquitoes to bite. Wearing long sleeves, long pants, and socks when you’re outdoors makes it harder for mosquitoes to come into contact with your skin. Mosquito-proof your home Drain standing water. Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water. Reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home by draining or discarding anything that holds standing water. Inspect gutters and drains. Empty unused flower pots and watering pools, and change the water in bird basins frequently. Install or repair screens. Install tight-fitting screens on all windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out. Protect animals Animal owners should reduce mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water in containers such as buckets, tires, and watering pools, especially after heavy rains. Water tanks provide an ideal breeding habitat for mosquitoes and should be flushed at least once a week during the summer to reduce mosquito populations near pastures. Horse owners should reduce the risk of exposure to mosquitoes by keeping their horses indoors in stalls at night. Owners should also consult with their veterinarians about mosquito repellents approved for use in animals and vaccinations to prevent West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis. If owners suspect their animals have West Nile Virus or EEE, they should report it to the Department of Agriculture Resources Animal Health Division at 617-626-1795 or Public Health at 617-983-6800.
Boston —
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced three new confirmed cases of West Nile virus among Massachusetts residents on Tuesday.
Massachusetts health officials said all three cases are in their 60s: one is a woman in southern Bristol County, the second is a man in his 60s who was infected in Suffolk County, which is already a high-risk area, and the third is a man in Barnstable County.
This brings the total number of West Nile Virus cases in Massachusetts this year to 10. No cases of West Nile Virus infection have been detected in animals so far this year.
The WNV risk level has been raised to high for the following communities: Barnstable, Mashpee, Sandwich and Yarmouth in Barnstable County, and Acushnet, Dartmouth and New Bedford in Bristol County.
So far this year, 302 WNV-positive mosquito samples have been detected in Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties. In 2023, there have been six human cases of West Nile virus but no animal cases.
Massachusetts health officials announced Monday they have confirmed the state’s fourth case of eastern equine encephalitis, in a man in his 50s who was infected in part of Middlesex County.
Massachusetts Department of Health officials said there have been two confirmed cases of EEE in horses and 91 EEE-positive mosquito samples so far this season.
There is no cure for EEE, and about half of people diagnosed with EEE in Massachusetts have died, health officials say.
The last outbreak of EEE in Massachusetts occurred in 2019-2020, resulting in 17 cases and seven deaths.
Mosquito safety tips from MassDPH:
Preventing mosquito bites
Use insect repellent when outdoors. Use repellents containing EPA-registered ingredients such as DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), or lemon eucalyptus oil (p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) or IR3535) according to product label directions. Do not use DEET products on infants under 2 months of age and use at a concentration of 30% or less on older children. Do not use lemon eucalyptus oil on children under 3 years of age.
Be aware of the times when mosquitoes are most prevalent: dusk to dawn is when most mosquitoes bite. If you are in a high-risk area, consider rescheduling outdoor activities to the evening or early morning.
Clothing can help reduce your risk of mosquito bites: Wearing long sleeves, long pants, and socks when you’re outdoors helps keep mosquitoes away from your skin.
Protect your home from mosquitoes
Drain standing water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Reduce mosquito breeding sites around your home by draining or discarding any standing water. Check gutters and drains. Empty unused flower pots and watering pools, and change the water in birdbaths frequently.
Install or repair screens: Install tight-fitting screens on all windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
Protecting animals
Animal owners should reduce mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water in buckets, tires, wading pools and other containers, especially after heavy rains. Fish tanks are perfect breeding sites for mosquitoes, so they should be flushed at least once a week during the summer to reduce mosquito populations near pastures. Horse owners should keep their horses indoors in stalls at night to reduce the risk of exposure to mosquitoes. Also, talk to your veterinarian about mosquito repellents approved for use in animals and vaccines to prevent West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis.
If an animal is suspected to be infected with WNV or EEE, owners should report it to the Department of Agricultural Resources Animal Health Division by calling 617-626-1795 and to Public Health by calling 617-983-6800.
