5 Mosquito Pools Test Positive For EEE In Falmouth

FALMOUTH, MA — Five mosquito pools in Falmouth have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis in the past week, according to the Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project. The first sample was collected July 30 but was not taken from a mosquito species known to transmit the virus to humans, the organization said.

Additional traps were laid Aug. 1, and four pools tested positive for EEE – one from a trap near Falmouth Town Hall and three from a cedar swamp near Woods Hole. The pools collected from the swamp are the most concerning because they contained mosquito species known to bite humans and animals, the Cape Cod Times reported.

Health officials said no human or animal EEE cases have been reported this year, though humans are at the highest risk of infection during the month of August. EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal virus that can affect people of all ages, according to the DPH.

Symptoms include fever, headache, irritability, restlessness, drowsiness, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, cyanosis, convulsions and coma, the CDC said. Approximately a third of all people with EEE die from the virus, and many who recover experience lingering neurological issues, according to the agency.

Cases occur sporadically in Massachusetts, with the most recent outbreaks happening from 2004 to 2006 and 2010 to 2012, the DPH said. The last human case of EEE in Massachusetts occurred in 2013.

Health officials and the Board of Selectmen have scheduled a meeting for 4 p.m. Thursday to discuss next steps.

Previously: Rare Mosquito Virus Detected In Falmouth