State Announces Additional Aerial Spraying for EEE

PLYMOUTH – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources will be conducting additional aerial spraying for mosquitoes in areas of the state at critical and high risk for the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus.

The state will conduct a new round of aerial spraying for mosquitoes in Bristol and Plymouth counties beginning Tuesday and continuing for several evenings.

While aerial spraying is weather and equipment dependent, above-average evening temperatures this week are likely to permit the application.

Communities that are scheduled to be partially or fully sprayed beginning Tuesday evening include Fairhaven, Plymouth, Wareham, Marion, Lakeville and Mattapoisett.

So far this season, Massachusetts has had eight human cases of EEE.

One person has died and there have also been eight confirmed cases of EEE this year in animals, including seven horses and a goat.

There has been one human case of West Nile virus (WNV), another mosquito-borne illness, this season.

There are 35 communities now at critical risk, 38 at high risk, and 120 at moderate risk for the EEE virus in Massachusetts.

Wareham is one of the communities at critical risk. Bourne, Falmouth, Truro and Wellfleet are listed at moderate risk. The remaining Cape Cod communities are considered at low risk.

State officials say that spraying for mosquitoes does not eliminate the risk of EEE transmission and the public is asked to continue to follow personal protection practices.

EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages.

The EEE virus has been found in 414 mosquito samples this year, many of them from species of mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus to people.

Visit the DPH website at mass.gov/eee for the latest updates on spraying in the communities.

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