Massachusetts Town Shuts Down Parks at Night Amid Deadly Mosquito-Borne Virus Threat A

Massachusetts Town Shuts Down Parks at Night Amid Deadly Mosquito-Borne Virus Threat

A Massachusetts town has taken precautionary measures by closing its parks and fields to nighttime visitors due to an increased risk of a deadly mosquito-borne virus. Plymouth, located about 40 miles southeast of Boston, announced the closures in response to the rising threat of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a rare but dangerous disease, according to local officials.

The town issued a statement on Friday, highlighting the serious risk posed by EEE, which can be transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports that EEE has a fatality rate of 33% to 70%, with most deaths occurring within 2 to 10 days after symptoms appear.

Plymouth’s decision to heighten its EEE risk level followed the recent diagnosis of the disease in a horse exposed in the area, raising concerns for public safety. This action came shortly after Massachusetts reported its first human case of EEE this year, the first since 2020, involving an elderly man in Worcester County. The discovsituation, urging residents to take precautions against mosquito bites, especially in areas where EEE activity has been detected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that around 30% of EEE-infected individuals do not survive, and those who do may suffer from long-term neurological complications.

Although EEE is exceptionally rare, with only about 11 human cases reported annually across the United States, its impact can be devastating. Massachusetts experienced a significant outbreak of EEE in 2019 and 2020, resulting in 17 reported cases and seven deaths.

In response to the current threat, public health officials and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources announced plans to conduct aerial and truck-mounted mosquito spraying in the affected areas, including Plymouth County and parts of Worcester County. By Saturday, the EEE risk level had been raised to high or critical in 10 Massachusetts communities.

In addition to the EEE threat, at least eight municipalities in Massachusetts, including Boston, are now considered high-risk areas for West Nile virus, another mosquito-borne disease. On Saturday, it was reported that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was recovering at home after being hospitalized with West Nile virus.

Residents are advised to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their families from these potentially deadly mosquito-borne diseases.