The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that laboratory testing has confirmed the 11th human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus infection, a man in his 70s from Worcester County. As a result, the communities of Auburn, Charlton, Dudley, Leicester, Southbridge and Spencer have been elevated to high risk.
DPH also has been recently notified by a hospital of a death from EEE of an Essex County resident. It marks the fourth EEE death this year in Massachusetts.
Please read the full press release below, attached, and at this link https://www.mass.gov/news/state-public-health-officials-announce-11th-human-case-of-eee-and-fourth-death-in
Webster is now at a high risk level. All Webster Public Parks and Beach will be closed from 6:00 PM to 8:00 AM until further notice. Additionally, the school department will be rescheduling outdoor evening events.
Triple E can cause severe illness and possibly lead to death in any age group; however, people under age 15 are at particular risk. EEE does not occur every year, but based on mosquito sampling, a high risk of occurrence of human cases currently exists.
Please protect yourself by:
- Applying Insect Repellent when Outdoors.
- Avoiding the Peak Mosquito Hours from dusk to dawn.
- Mosquito-Proofing Your Home by draining Standing Water and Installing or Repairing Screens.
More Info Below:
September 2019 aerial spraying information
EEE Fact Sheet