A deadly mosquito virus has hit Massachusetts, killing a man and causing at least 10 towns near Boston to sound the alarm. Many have called off public activities and events, and closed their parks after sundown.
The 80-year-old victim was a man in Worcester (next door to Boston), who was known to his family as the one who never got mosquito bites. But he died over the weekend from a mosquito bite infected with eastern equine encephalitis.
Although rare, eastern equine encephalitis outbreaks are serious — 30% of people who are infected with it die, according to the CDC via The Washington Post, "and many survivors suffer ongoing neurological problems."
Symptoms of eastern equine encephalitis can start with headaches, chills, a high fever, and vomiting, according to the New York State Department of Health, but often progresses into "disorientation, seizures, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), and coma."
"It's vital for everyone to stay vigilant and follow personal protection guidelines to safeguard our community," said a commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
From The Washington Post:
Ten communities are now designated at high or critical risk for the virus, the health agency said Saturday. Plymouth, about 40 miles south of Boston, closed all public parks and fields from dusk until dawn. Nearby,Oxford banned all outdoor activities on town property after 6 p.m.
"We have not seen an outbreak of EEE for four years in Massachusetts," Robbie Goldstein, the state's department of public health commissioner, said in a statement. "We need to use all our available tools to reduce risk and protect our communities. We are asking everyone to do their part." …
Massachusetts health officials said there will be mosquito spraying between dusk and dawn throughout this week in Plymouth and Worcester counties to limit the presence of eastern equine encephalitis.
Residents are urged to use mosquito repellents, drain standing water around their homes, wear clothing that covers skin, and reschedule outdoor activities to avoid the hours between dusk and dawn.
Previously: Bill Gates wants us to fear mosquitoes, not sharks
