First human case of EEE in Mass. since 2020 prompts warnings – and in one town, a curfew

Four Massachusetts towns are at "critical" risk of Eastern equine encephalitis after an 80-year-old man tested positive for the dangerous mosquito-borne illness.

Massachusetts officials announced the first confirmed human case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in the state since 2020.

An 80-year-old man in Worcester County contracted the mosquito-borne virus, the state Department of Public Health (DPH) recently announced. Officials did not release specific details about where or how the man was exposed to the virus or his current condition.

The virus causes severe illness and has a 30 percent fatality rate. Twelve Massachusetts residents contracted EEE in 2019, six of whom died. One out of the five people who contracted the virus in 2020 also died.

“This is the first time we have seen a person infected with EEE in Massachusetts since 2020,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “EEE is a rare but serious disease and a public health concern. We want to remind residents of the need to protect themselves from mosquito bites, especially in areas of the state where we are seeing EEE activity.”

Four towns are now considered to be at “critical” risk — Douglas, Sutton, Webster, and Oxford. Local officials are urging extreme caution, with Oxford even implementing a 6 p.m. curfew on outdoor activities on town property.

The decision drew ire from residents who said the curfew would impact school sporting events and practices. However, the curfew follows the recommendation of state health experts who say the risk is most elevated from the early evening through morning.

“In addition to recommending that people use mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered active ingredient and clothing to reduce exposed skin, we also recommend that evening outdoor events be rescheduled to avoid the hours between dusk and dawn,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine M. Brown. “The mosquitoes most likely to spread EEE are most active during the dusk to dawn hours.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), EEE symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes, and drowsiness. Many people who survive the illness suffer from ongoing neurological problems.

There are no vaccines to prevent EEE or medicines to treat it, according to the CDC.

In addition to the four towns at critical risk, six are considered “high risk” for EEE: Uxbridge, Northbridge, Carver, Dudley, Middleborough, and Plymouth.

Twenty-three other towns are designated as EEE moderate-risk areas. Those towns are as follows:

• Amesbury
• Auburn
• Bridgewater
• Charlton
• Grafton
• Groveland
• Halifax
• Haverhill
• Kingston
• Lakeville
• Leicester
• Mendon
• Merrimac
• Millbury
• Millville
• Newburyport
• Plympton
• Rochester
• Salisbury
• Southbridge
• Upton
• Wareham
• West Newbury

The public can view a live EEE Risk Map on Mass.gov.