Massachusetts human Eastern Equine Encephalitis cases rise to 7

By NewsDesk @infectiousdiseasenews

In a follow-up on the human Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) situation in Massachusetts, state health officials reported three additional cases in recent days.

On Thursday, an additional confirmed case was reported in a man in his 70s from southwestern Middlesex County.

Then on Friday, laboratory testing has confirmed two new cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus infection, a woman in her 60s from eastern Worcester County and a female under the age of 18 from southwestern Middlesex County.

This brings the total number of human cases of EEE to seven this year in Massachusetts.

In total, there are 36 communities now at critical risk, 42 at high risk, and 115 at moderate risk for the EEE virus in Massachusetts.

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In addition to the human cases, Massachusetts has reported nine confirmed cases of EEE this year in animals; eight horses and one goat.

“Even though temperatures have cooled off, it is not unusual to see human EEE cases confirmed in September,” said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “This is why we continue to urge the public to take seriously the threat that mosquitos can pose and to take steps to avoid being bitten.”

EEE virus has been found in 400 mosquito samples this year, many of them from species of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus to people.



