It’s a nightmare. Now, on to other breaking news: A man in his 40s has become the state’s first case of West Nile virus. He contracted it this year in Hampden County, in western Massachusetts, according to state health officials. The risk of human infection there is moderate, and I
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced the state’s first human case of West Nile virus and the first animal case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), according to health officials. A man in his 40s from Hampden County has been infected with West Nile virus, and a horse in Plymouth has been diagnosed with EEE, according to health officials. Mosquito samples from Dedham also tested positive for EEE, placing Plymouth at high risk for EEE and Dedham at low risk, according to health officials. In addition to these communities, Carver and Middleborough are also in a high-risk area for EEE. Twelve other communities are at moderate risk: Amesbury, Groveland, Halifax, Haverhill, Kingston, Merrimack, Newburyport, Plymouth, Plimpton, Salisbury, Wareham and West Newbury. The risk of West Nile virus infection is moderate in the Greater Boston area (Middlesex, Norfolk and Suffol counties) and parts of Bristol, Essex, Hampden, Plymouth and Worcester counties. “Historically, August and September are the months of exposure to West Nile virus in Massachusetts,” said Dr. Robbie Goldstein, Public Health Commissioner. “It is also the first year of increased EEE activity since the previous outbreaks in 2019 and 2020.” “The mosquito population that can carry and spread these viruses is high this year, and we continue to see an increase in the number of EEE and WNV positive mosquito samples across the state,” said Dr. Goldstein. West Nile virus is typically transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. In 2023, there have been six cases of West Nile virus infection in humans and no cases of infection in animals. EEE is a rare but severe, potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages and is primarily transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. Massachusetts had 12 EEE cases with six deaths in 2019 and five cases with one death in 2020. There have been no human EEE cases in 2021, 2022 or 2023, and none so far this year.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Tuesday announced the state’s first human case of West Nile virus and the first animal case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).
Health officials said a man in his 40s from Hampden County has been infected with West Nile virus and a horse in Plymouth has been diagnosed with EEE.
Health officials reported that mosquito samples from Dedham also tested positive for EEE, and that EEE risk levels are high in Plymouth and low in Dedham.
In addition to these communities, Carver and Middleborough remain at high risk for EEE.Twelve other communities are at moderate risk: Amesbury, Groveland, Halifax, Haverhill, Kingston, Merrimack, Newburyport, Plymouth, Plimpton, Salisbury, Wareham and West Newbury.
The risk of West Nile virus infection is moderate in the greater Boston area (Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk counties) and parts of Bristol, Essex, Hampden, Plymouth, and Worcester counties.
“Historically, August and September are the months with the highest number of West Nile virus infections in Massachusetts,” said Surgeon General Dr. Robbie Goldstein. “This year also marks the first year of increased EEE activity since the previous outbreak in 2019 and 2020.”
“This year we have a high population of mosquitoes that can carry and spread these viruses, and the number of EEE- and WNV-positive mosquito samples across the state continues to increase,” Goldstein said.
West Nile virus is usually transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. In 2023, there were six cases of West Nile virus infection in humans, but zero cases in animals.
EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that affects all age groups and is primarily transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. In Massachusetts, there were 12 EEE cases with six deaths in 2019 and five cases with one death in 2020.
There have been no human cases of EEE in 2021, 2022 or 2023, and none so far this year.
