No Mosquitoes Tested Positive For EEE In Rhode Island This Week

Just one day after the second round of targeted mosquito pesticide spraying, The Rhode Island Departments of Health and Environmental Management announced that no mosquitoes trapped in the state this week tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis.

78 mosquitoes from 25 traps throughout the state were tested this week. All tested negative for EEE and West Nile Virus.

At this time, there are no plans for additional spraying Rhode Island this year. However, the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses will continue until the first hard frost of the year, when both the ground and air freeze, killing adult mosquitoes. The timing of the first frost in Rhode Island varies, usually happening in the northern part of the state in early October and the southern, coastal areas later in the month.

Until then, Rhode Island residents are asked to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses as much as possible by avoiding outdoor activities from dusk until dawn, keeping screens in windows, using insect repellent with DEET and wearing long sleeves and pants.

So far this year, there have been three human cases of EEE, causing one death. The other two patients, a Chalestown resident in their 50s and a six-year-old girl from Coventry, were both released from the hospital and are making full recoveries.

The second round of spraying was successfully completed early Thursday morning. Originally planned for Monday, the schedule had to be delayed due to inclement weather in Massachusetts.