Eastern Equine Encephalitis is an uncommon but possibly fatal virus that is carried by mosquitoes and poses a high or critical risk to 10 counties in Massachusetts, state health authorities warn.
The broad picture: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 30% of deaths are caused by EEE, commonly known as “Triple E,” for which there are presently neither vaccinations nor medications available.
According to a CDC web page, “[M]any survivors have ongoing neurologic problems.”
Motivating the news: A man in his 80s was exposed to the virus in Oxford, Worcester County, roughly 50 miles west of Boston, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which announced on August 16 the state’s first human case of eastern equine encephalitis this year. This occurred just over a month after officials discovered the first EEE-positive mosquito samples.
According to the state’s DPH, Oxford health experts advised an outdoor ban between nightfall and morning, as these are “peak biting times for many mosquitoes.”
About 40 miles south of Boston, Plymouth announced last Friday that due to a recent EEE infection found in a horse exposed in the municipality, the danger level had increased to high and that all public parks and fields would close daily from sunset until morning.
Mosquito and tick bites can cause serious illnesses like EEE and Lyme disease. When outdoors, use EPA-approved repellent, applied slowly and evenly to the face, neck, arms & legs. When possible, wear full-length protective clothing. More info: https://t.co/DD6BYzyvj2. pic.twitter.com/84eMaxr1Kg
— Mass. Public Health (@MassDPH) August 25, 2024
The state’s DPH declared that during the week of August 26, airborne mosquito spraying will take place in some portions of Plymouth County and truck-mounted spraying would take place in other sections of Worcester County.
Current situation: According to the Massachusetts DPH, the eight communities in the aerial spray zone are Carver, Halifax, Kingston, Middleborough, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, and Wareham.
The truck spray zone consists of Douglas, Dudley, Oxford, Sutton, and Uxbridge as its five settlements.
Residents in impacted localities are being urged by the DPH to wear long sleeves, apply insect repellent, and think about postponing any outside activities they may normally undertake during mosquito mating season.
In addition, remove any standing water where mosquitoes could lay their eggs and replace or repair any window and door screens.
What to anticipate: The DPH is urging persons with known chemical sensitivity or those with pre-existing respiratory disorders, such asthma, to stay indoors during the application of the EPA-registered pesticide Anvil 10+10.
What they’re saying: Commissioner Robbie Goldstein of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health stated in a statement, “We have not seen an outbreak of EEE in Massachusetts for four years.”
The outbreak and activity this year put populations in some regions of the state at higher danger. To lower danger and safeguard our communities, we must make use of all the resources at our disposal. Everyone is urged to contribute in some way.”
Enlarge: The Mass. DPH states that the earliest signs of EEE appear three to ten days following a mosquito bite. These include low energy, headache, stiff neck, fever (usually between 103 and 106°F), and fever.
“Inflammation and swelling of the brain, called encephalitis, is the most dangerous and frequent serious complication,” according to the department of health.
“The disease gets worse quickly and some patients may go into a coma within a week.”
Zoom out: The majority of cases in the United States each year are reported to be in eastern or Gulf Coast states.
EEE was discovered in horses in Orange, Saint Lawrence, Madison, Oneid, Ulster, Cayuga, Wayne, and Washington counties, the New York State Department of Health said on Saturday.
As of Sunday night, there were no verified instances involving people in New York, and the health agency said that there is “no risk of infected horses spreading the virus to humans or other horses.”
The primary mosquito-borne illness in the continental United States, West Nile Virus, has recently hospitalized former NIAID director Anthony Fauci, who is currently recovering at home. As a result, concerns about the virus are growing in Massachusetts and other states.