A small Massachusetts town is urging residents to stay indoors at night after the spread of a dangerous mosquito-borne virus reached a “crisis risk level.”
The virus causes Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), which is fatal in 30-50% of those it infects, mostly children under 15 and the elderly. Around half of those who survive are permanently disabled, and some die from complications within a few years. There is no cure for EEE. To date, there has been one case in Oxford where an elderly person became seriously ill with neuroinvasive EEE.
The EEE virus is spread by mosquitoes, especially in the marshes of the Atlantic, Gulf, and Great Lakes regions. Mosquitoes carry the virus among animals, including wild birds, horses, and humans. Only a small number of cases of the virus occur each year in the United States.Average: 11According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of cases of EEE could be as high as 200,000. But given the extremely high risk of EEE, health officials are taking the outbreak seriously.
On August 16, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced the state’s first case. Declares “significant risk level” They are located in four communities: Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster, all concentrated in Worcester County near the Rhode Island-Connecticut border.
curfew
The state health department would not confirm whether the man was an Oxford resident, but the town manager confirmed he was an Oxford resident. Wednesday’s NoteManager Jennifer Callahan reported that the man remains hospitalized and that a horse recently died from EEE just across the border in Connecticut.
Also on Wednesday, four towns – Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster – Joint Health AdvisoryThis included recommending a night-time curfew.
Last night Oxford Health Board voted to adopt the recommendations. According to the Boston GlobeResidents are advised to avoid times of peak mosquito activity. They should “finish outdoor activities by 6 pm until September 30, 2024, and by 5 pm from October 1, 2024 until the first hard frost.” Residents are also advised to apply insect repellent, wear protective clothing and mosquito-proof their homes.
Officials stressed that the curfew is advisory, not mandatory, but to use town property such as recreational areas, people must first submit a coverage application and demonstrate to the town that they have adequate insurance coverage.
Only three cases of EEE have been reported in the United States so far this year: one in Massachusetts, one in Vermont, and the final one in New Jersey. All three are neuroinvasive. About 30% of cases are fatal, according to the CDC, and Massachusetts health officials report that about half of people with EEE in the state have died.
In 2019 Multistate EEE outbreaks,the result A record 38 casesTwelve of the cases have been in Massachusetts, with six deaths.
