The Massachusetts Division of Public Health raised the danger degree for West Nile Virus (WNV) to excessive in lots of communities, urging residents to guard in opposition to the mosquito-borne illness.
“WNV findings in mosquitoes have accelerated rapidly over the last several weeks,” State Epidemiologist Catherine Brown mentioned. “We are now in the peak time for transmission of mosquito-borne disease to people, and it is important for people to know that so they can take steps to protect themselves.”
Health officers raised the danger degree for a number of municipalities, together with Boston, as a consequence of “ongoing evidence of mosquito samples carrying the virus.” Since June 17, DPH mentioned,168 WNV-positive mosquito samples have been detected throughout 12 Massachusetts counties.
One case of West Nile has additionally been confirmed in a goat in Lunenburg this 12 months, DPH mentioned. No human instances have been reported to date this summer season.
The virus is the main explanation for mosquito-borne illness within the continental U.S., in accordance with the CDC. There aren’t any vaccines or medicines in use for the illness, the CDC states. Although many contaminated individuals don’t really feel sick, some develop signs like a fever and few develop into critically or fatally unwell.
Along with Boston, the WNV danger degree was raised in Acton, Bedford, Billerica, Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Dracut, Lowell, and Newton.
DPH additionally raised danger ranges to reasonable for an additional mosquito-borne illness, Jap equine encephalitis, in a number of communities. There have been seven EEE-positive mosquito samples detected within the state this 12 months.
“Both West Nile virus and EEE pose risk to the people in Massachusetts,” Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein mentioned. “The weather remains warm and somewhat humid, which increases mosquito activity.”
In 2024, there have been 19 human instances of West Nile reported in Massachusetts, and 4 human instances of EEE, one in every of which was deadly.
The Boston Public Health Fee warned that people who find themselves over the age of fifty or immunocompromised have a better danger of growing severe sickness from West Nile. Signs might embody excessive fever, extreme headache, confusion, lack of coordination, and muscle weak point, and residents struggling ought to “contact a health care provider immediately.”
Health officers urge residents to think about precautions like carrying insect repellant outside, being cautious of peak mosquito hours from nightfall to daybreak, protecting pores and skin whereas outside, draining standing water the place mosquitos might breed, and putting in screens in home windows and doorways.
Extra details about mosquito-borne illnesses and security measures will be discovered at mass.gov/mosquito-borne-diseases.
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