The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced the first detected samples of West Nile virus in mosquitoes.
The state’s public health laboratory confirmed the virus in samples collected on July 1 in Worcester.
The state says no human or animal cases or West Nile virus or Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) have been found this year.
“This is an expected finding at this time of year and given the heat and dry conditions we have been experiencing, we are expecting to see more and more WNV activity,” said DPH State Epidemiologist Dr. Al DeMaria.
In 2015, 10 human cases of West Nile virus were detected in the Commonwealth.
Public health officials say it’s important for people to avoid mosquito bites, use EPA-registered repellents, be aware of peak mosquito hours, mosquito-proof your home, and protect your animals from bites as well.
The state has a designated page on its website on mosquito-borne diseases, which can be found here.
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