Town put under night time lockdown as disabling horse virus that kills 1 in 3 runs rampant
A TOWN has been placed under night time lockdown, as fears around a disabling disease spread by mosquitoes ramp up.
Almost a dozen communities have also been designated as high or critical risk for the illness, after a man tested positive for it earlier this month and disease-carrying critters were spotted in the area.
Eastern equine encephalitis is a rare but potentially deadly virus that's spread from the bites of infected mosquitoes.
Known as EEE or 'triple E', the virus got its name after first being spotted in horses.
But disease can be spread to people by mosquitoes who pick up the virus from infected animals.
There are currently no vaccines or medicines available to treat EEE, which about 30 per cent of those infected die from, according to the (CDC).
More on mosquito borne illness
Only a few cases tend to be reported in the United States each year, the CDC says.
But fears around the virus have placed 10 counties in Massachusetts on high alert.
The state's health department announced on August 16 that a man in his 80s had caught the virus in the town of Oxford.
It marked the first human case found in Massachusetts since 2020, after saw 17 people infected and caused the deaths of seven.
The news came a month after Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) for the first time this year.
Oxford health officials recommended an from dusk to dawn, which officials described as "peak biting times for many mosquitoes".
Health departments in neighbouring towns also urged residents to use mosquito repellents when outdoors and drain any standing water around their homes, as well as avoid being outside in peak biting times.
DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a statement: “We have not seen an outbreak of EEE for four years in Massachusetts.
"This year’s outbreak and activity raise the risk for communities in parts of the state.
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner Ashley Randle said: “Due to the increased EEE risk and the first human case of the season, the state is taking decisive action to protect public health.
“Aerial spraying will target mosquitoes carrying the EEE virus.
"While these measures are crucial for reducing transmission risk, it's vital for everyone to stay vigilant and follow personal protection guidelines to safeguard our community.”
Massachusetts health officials noted that EEE infection in humans remain rare.
"Since the virus was first identified in Massachusetts in 1938, just over 115 cases have occurred," the DPH said.
"The majority of cases typically have been from Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk counties.
"However, in an active year human cases can occur throughout the state."
Outbreaks in the US
The CDC says only a few cases of EEE are reported in the US each year, with most infections found in the eastern and Gulf Coast states.
Outbreaks of EEE usually occur in Massachusetts every 10-20 years and typically last two to three years.
In a 2019 outbreak, there were six deaths among 12 confirmed cases in Massachusetts.
The outbreak continued the following year with five more cases and another death.
Symptoms of EEE include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea and seizures.
People who survive are often permanently disabled, and few completely recover, Massachusetts authorities said.
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The disease is prevalent in birds, and although humans and some other mammals can catch EEE, they don't spread the disease.
The presence of the virus in Massachusetts this year was confirmed last month in a mosquito sample, and has been found in other mosquitoes across the state since then.