CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – There are two new human cases of West Nile virus confirmed in the state as mosquito-borne illnesses continue to spread fast. Now, health officials are putting the northeast on high alert ahead of the Labor Day holiday.
Two more human cases of West Nile Virus confirmed in Massachusetts, risk level elevated It’s Double Trouble.
“They’re awful when they bite you and you’re scratching all the time ..just in the way when you’re trying to walk,” said Sherri Bernal of West Warren.
West Nile Virus and EEE have been detected in Massachusetts and cases are only growing.
West Nile has been found in humans in Hampden and Berkshire counties. Ten communities are also now considered critical or high risk for EEE, mostly in Worcester and Plymouth counties.
A New Hampshire resident has died from that virus. It’s the state’s first human case in 10 years.
To help stop the spread, state officials are spraying mosquitoes to help kill this virus.
“The rationale behind mosquito control is to reduce the adult infected mosquitos in the immediate area and to help reduce the number of mosquitos there capable of spreading the virus to humans,” said State Epidemiologist for Massachusetts Public Health, Dr.Catherine Brown.
Dr. Brown from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health says there’s no evidence of a high level of risk for EEE in western Massachusetts, but it’s still important to take preventative measures. She recommends avoiding outdoor activity between dusk and dawn.
If you do find yourself outdoors with pesky mosquitoes around you, be sure to use an insect repellent with DEET in it and wear long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Triple e symptoms include flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to serious complications, “cause it’s a virus that invades the central nervous system, it gets into the brain and spinal cord, your symptoms can progress rapidly,” expressed Brown.
“And if that happens it can cause fever, headaches, confusion, seizures people can go into comas,” added Infectious Disease Specialist at Baystate Medical Center, Dr. Megan Gallagher.
According to the CDC, nearly 30% of people with Triple E will die, and many survivors have ongoing neurological problems. The mosquito risk is expected to last until the season’s first frost, which typically doesn’t happen until early to mid-October.
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