Massachusetts EEE Alert: Mosquito Spraying Ordered

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health this week announced nine more communities were designated a high risk for the mosquito-borne Eastern equine encephalitis virus — otherwise known as EEE. It increased the total high-risk EEE communities to 22, all in Bristol and Plymouth counties.

No human or animal cases of EEE have been detected this year, but August is the month when people are most at risk, state Epidemiologist Catherine Brown said.

The last human case of EEE in Massachusetts was in 2013. In two outbreaks between 2004-06 and 2010-12 22 human cases of EEE were confirmed, most of which were in Bristol and Plymouth counties.

EEE, which can be deadly in some cases, has been found in 164 mosquito samples this year. The DPH said half of those are from species of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus to humans.

Mosquito spraying will begin in many southeastern Massachusetts communities tonight.

The following communities were designated as having a high risk for EEE:

• Acushnet
• Berkley
• Bridgewater
• Carver
• Dighton
• East Bridgewater
• Easton
• Fairhaven
• Freetown
• Halifax
• Lakeville
• Marion
• Mattapoisett
• Middleboro
• New Bedford
• Plympton
• Raynham
• Rehoboth
• Rochester
• Taunton
• West Bridgewater
• Whitman

Additionally, the following eight communities were designated as having a moderate risk:

• Abington
• Attleboro
• Brockton
• Duxbury
• Hanover
• Marshfield
• Norwell
• Seekonk