Deadly Mosquito Virus Puts Massachusetts Towns on High Alert

Massachusetts officials are warning people in several towns to be careful because of a dangerous virus spread by mosquitoes. The virus is called Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). It can be very serious and even deadly if someone gets infected.

On Saturday, officials from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced that 10 communities in the state are now at high or critical risk for the EEE virus. To protect people, there will be special spraying to kill mosquitoes in these areas. In Plymouth County, the spraying will be done by planes, and in parts of Worcester County, trucks will be used to spray.

“We haven’t had an outbreak of EEE in Massachusetts for four years,” said Robbie Goldstein, the state’s Public Health Commissioner. “This year’s outbreak is raising the risk in some areas, so we need to do everything we can to keep our communities safe. We are asking everyone to help by taking precautions.”

To avoid mosquito bites, officials suggest wearing long pants and long sleeves when outside, avoiding being outdoors during peak mosquito times (like dawn and dusk), and using insect repellent.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people who get the EEE virus don’t have symptoms. But for those who do, it usually takes 4 to 10 days for symptoms to appear. The infection can cause fever or lead to serious brain inflammation called encephalitis. This can be deadly—about one-third of people who get encephalitis die, and survivors may need long-term care.

In response to the increased risk, officials in Plymouth, Massachusetts, have closed all public parks from dusk to dawn.

The state reported its first human case of EEE this year on August 16 in Worcester County.