Town Of Wakefield: Wakefield Among Communities Designated High Risk For West Nile Virus

Press release from the Town of Wakefield:

September 10, 2021 - 2:14pm

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has named Wakefield as one of many Middlesex County communities in the high-risk category for West Nile Virus (WNV). WNV is a mosquito-carried virus.

Although late in the season, the substantial amount of rain in the region and the recent hot weather have resulted in an increase in the population of the Culex species of mosquitoes, known to spread West Nile virus and breed in places where standing water accumulates. On the evenings of July 21 and 22 and September 7, 2021, the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project sprayed in Wakefield using a truck-mounted aerosol sprayer.

The majority of people who are infected with WNV will have no symptoms. A smaller number of people who become infected (~ 20%) will have symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes swollen lymph glands. They may also develop a skin rash on the chest, stomach, and back. Less than 1 percent of people infected with WNV will develop severe illness, including encephalitis or meningitis. 

The best way to prevent ­­­West Nile is to protect yourself from mosquito bites. Use insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, treat clothing and gear, and take steps to control mosquitoes indoors and outdoors. Learn more about prevention.

More information, including WNV positive results, can be found on the Arbovirus Surveillance Information web page or by calling the DPH Epidemiology Program at 617-983-6800. Questions about the East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project can be directed to them at (781) 899-5730.

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This press release was produced by the Town of Wakefield.The views expressed here are the author’s own.