A rare but deadly mosquito-borne disease has led one Massachusetts town to close its parks and fields each evening, while four other towns are advising residents to stay indoors at night.
The concern is over Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Last week, state health officials confirmed that a man in his 80s had contracted the disease, marking the first human case in Massachusetts since 2020.
The town of Plymouth, located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southeast of Boston, announced on Friday that it would be closing all public outdoor recreation facilities from dusk until dawn after a horse in the town was infected with EEE.
Additionally, state health officials have warned that a cluster of four towns south of Worcester — Douglas, Oxford, Sutton, and Webster — are at “critical risk” after a resident of Oxford tested positive for the virus.
Local and state health officials are urging people in these towns to avoid outdoor activities during peak mosquito biting times by finishing up by 6 p.m. until September 30, and then by 5 p.m. after that, until the first hard frost. They also recommend that people throughout Massachusetts use mosquito repellents when outdoors and eliminate any standing water around their homes.
Jennifer Callahan, Oxford’s town manager, shared in a memo that the family of the man who contracted the virus in mid-August had contacted her office.
“They want people to understand that this is an extremely serious disease with devastating physical and emotional consequences, regardless of whether the person survives,” Callahan wrote.
She noted that the infected individual had often told his family that he rarely got bitten by mosquitoes. However, just before becoming symptomatic, he mentioned being bitten. The man is still hospitalized and is “courageously battling” the virus, she said.
Callahan emphasized that the family is urging the public to heed the health advice and take all necessary precautions to protect themselves.
The presence of EEE in Massachusetts was confirmed last month in a mosquito sample, and the virus has since been detected in other mosquitoes across the state. During a 2019 outbreak, there were six deaths among 12 confirmed cases in Massachusetts. The outbreak continued into the following year with five more cases and another death.
There are no vaccines or specific treatments for EEE.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that although EEE is rare, it is highly serious, with about 30% of infected individuals dying. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures.
Survivors often suffer from permanent disabilities, and few fully recover, according to Massachusetts authorities. The disease primarily affects birds, and while humans and some other mammals can contract EEE, they do not transmit it.
Read More: Remains of Missing Michigan Woman Found on Husband’s Property
The CDC notes that only a few cases of EEE are reported in the U.S. each year, with most occurring in the eastern and Gulf Coast states.
