Four Massachusetts towns are at “critical” risk of Eastern equine encephalitis after an 80-year-old man tested positive for the dangerous mosquito-borne illness.
Massachusetts officials announced the first confirmed human case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in the state since 2020.
An 80-year-old man in Worcester County contracted the mosquito-borne virus, the state Department of Public Health (DPH) recently announced. Officials did not release specific details about where or how the man was exposed to the virus or his current condition.
The virus causes severe illness and has a 30 percent fatality rate. Twelve Massachusetts residents contracted EEE in 2019, six of whom died. One out of the five people who contracted the virus in 2020 also died.
“This is the first time we have seen a person infected with EEE in Massachusetts since 2020,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “EEE is a rare but serious disease and a public health concern. 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.”