BARNSTABLE – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health recently announced two new cases of West Nile Virus in the state, one a man likely infected in Hampden County and an elderly man in Middlesex County.
The pair brings the statewide number of confirmed human cases to four.
376 mosquitoes have tested positive across the state since the early summer, including positive samples in Barnstable and Plymouth Counties, which remain in a state of moderate risk.
21 mosquito samples have also tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, though no human or animal cases have been detected thus far.
Residents are advised to protect themselves from mosquitoes by wearing insect repellant and long-sleeved clothing while outdoors – especially during peak hours of mosquito activity from dusk to dawn – and reducing insect risks by checking window screens and draining standing water at home.
About Matthew Tomlinson
