CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced two new human cases of West Nile virus (WNV), bringing the state’s total to four for 2024.
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The latest cases involve two men in their 60s, one from Suffolk County and the other from Norfolk County, both exposed in areas with elevated risk for the virus.
As a result, several communities have been upgraded to high-risk levels for WNV, including Cambridge, Everett, Medford, Newton, Somerville, and Watertown in Middlesex County, along with Brookline, Milton, and Quincy in Norfolk County.
“We are in the peak time for West Nile virus activity, which will persist into September,” said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. “With the increasing amount of WNV in mosquitoes, the likelihood of human infection also rises. It’s crucial for everyone to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.”
This announcement follows earlier reports of two human cases, one in Hampden County and another in Middlesex County . So far, no animal cases of WNV have been detected in Massachusetts this year. In 2023, the state saw six human cases of WNV.