Threat level raised: State's first EEE case in 4 years confirmed in Worcester County

The state Department of Public Health has announced the year's first case of Eastern equine encephalitis, in a man who was exposed in Worcester County.

The man is in his 80s, the state said.

The health department has raised the risk level for EEE to critical in Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster.

In Dudley, Northbridge and Uxbridge, the risk level has been increased to high. In Auburn, Charlton, Grafton, Leicester, Mendon, Millbury, Millville, Southbridge and Upton, the risk level has been raised to moderate.

The Worcester County case is the first in the state since 2020, said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein in a press release.

“EEE is a rare but serious disease and a public health concern," Goldstein said, according to a press release. "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.”

EEE is a potentially fatal disease that is usually spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. There were 12 human cases of EEE in Massachusetts in 2019 with six deaths, and five human cases with one death in 2020.

The state recommends people use mosquito repellant and clothing to reduce exposed skin, and also recommends that evening outdoor events be rescheduled in areas of high risk to avoid the hours between dawn and dusk.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Threat level raised: State's first EEE case in 4 years confirmed in Worcester County