A Massachusetts town is closing its public parks and fields at night due to their “high risk status” for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a mosquito-bourne illness that can be fatal.
The measures came after a horse was diagnosed with EEE, which raised the town’s risk level to “high,” according to a statement issued by the Town of Plymouth.
According to the town statement, there have also been EEE-infected mosquitoes previously identified in Plymouth County (Halifax and Kingston), Barnstable County (Barnstable), and in Essex County (Amesbury and Haverhill).
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control , there is no vaccine for EEE, and “although rare, eastern equine encephalitis is very serious. Approximately 30% of people with eastern equine encephalitis die, and many survivors have ongoing neurologic problems.”
Aerial view of Plymouth, Mass.
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Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes, and drowsiness.
“As Mass [Department of Public Health] has now elevated Plymouth’s EEE risk status to high, it is important to take extra precautions when outdoors and follow state and local health guidelines to avoid unnecessary risk to exposure to EEE. The health and safety of our community, residents, and visitors remain our priority,” Michelle Bratti, Plymouth’s Commissioner of Health and Human Services, said in the town’s statement.
The town announced that it’s spraying nightly to combat the mosquito population, and urged residents to take measures against mosquito populations in their yards, and to protect themselves from bites by spraying, and possibly rescheduling outdoor activities.
Stock image of a mosquito.
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“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,” the town’s statement advised.
So far this year, people in three states — Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Vermont — have been diagnosed with the virus, according to the CDC. Last year, seven cases were identified in the United States.
The news comes as the United States is combating an increased risk of other mosquito-bourne illnesses, such as West Nile Virus and Dengue fever.
