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Press Release  State health officials announce EEE risk levels lowered in several communities

Residents urged to continue to take steps to prevent mosquito bites
For immediate release:
10/02/2024
  • Department of Public Health

Media Contact   for State health officials announce EEE risk levels lowered in several communities

Katheleen Conti, Assistant Director of Media Relations

Boston — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that the risk from Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is no longer considered high or critical anywhere in the state. Communities previously at high or critical risk are now at moderate risk.

This change affects the towns of Douglas, Dudley, Harvard, Northbridge, Oxford, Sutton, Uxbridge, and Webster in Worcester County; Carver, Middleborough, and Plymouth in Plymouth County; and Acton, Ayer, Boxborough, Concord, and Littleton, in Middlesex County.

“Our surveillance data and past patterns of disease indicate that the risk from EEE is, thankfully, declining,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “We know that most EEE infections occur by the end of September and this decision reflects that. Some risk from EEE will continue to exist until the first hard frost and we encourage people to continue to take steps to prevent mosquito bites as they enjoy the fall weather.”

There have been 96 EEE-positive mosquito samples, three horse cases, and four human cases in Massachusetts this year. The last outbreak of EEE occurred in 2019-2020 and resulted in 17 human cases with seven deaths and nine animal cases.

“Mosquito behavior is more variable at this time of year,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown. “The mosquitoes that are most likely to spread EEE to people are dying off and are present in much smaller numbers. In addition, their activity is driven more by temperature and humidity and somewhat less by the time of day.”

Avoid Mosquito Bites

Apply Insect Repellent when Outdoors. Use a repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient, such as DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), or oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) or IR3535) according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30 percent or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.

Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning in areas of high risk.

Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Wearing long sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

Drain Standing Water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by draining or discarding items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty unused flowerpots and wading pools and change the water in birdbaths frequently.

Install or Repair Screens. Keep mosquitoes outside by having tightly fitting screens on all windows and doors.

Protect Your Animals

Animal owners should reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water from containers such as buckets, tires, and wading pools – especially after heavy rains. Water troughs provide excellent mosquito breeding habitats and should be flushed out to reduce mosquitoes near paddock areas. Horse owners should keep horses in indoor stalls at night to reduce their risk of exposure to mosquitoes. Owners should also speak with their veterinarian about mosquito repellents approved for use in animals and vaccinations to prevent West Nile virus (WNV) and EEE. If an animal is suspected of having WNV or EEE, owners are required to report to the Department of Agricultural Resources, Division of Animal Health by calling 617-626-1795, and to the Department of Public Health by calling 617-983-6800.

More information, including all WNV and EEE positive results, can be found on the Arbovirus Surveillance Information web page at Mosquito-borne Diseases | Mass.gov, which is updated daily, or by calling the DPH Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800. 

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Media Contact   for State health officials announce EEE risk levels lowered in several communities

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