Massachusetts health officials report season’s first EEE positive mosquito sample

Massachusetts health officials announced Friday the first discovery of the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus in mosquitoes this year. The presence of EEE was confirmed by the Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory in a mosquito sample collected on July 1 in the community of Orange in Franklin County. Health officials said no human or animal cases of EEE have been detected so far this year. Friday’s announcement increases the risk level of EEE to moderate in the communities of Orange and Athol.Current Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV) information in MassachusettsEEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. EEE is generally spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. There were 12 human cases of EEE in Massachusetts in 2019 with six deaths. There were also nine cases in domestic animals.”People have been spending time indoors due to COVID-19 and now, as we venture out, we want to remind people about the need to protect themselves and their loved ones from illnesses caused by mosquitoes,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown. “We are also asking people to remain aware of the level of virus activity in areas where they live, work and play.”