BOSTON (WHDH) - The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced Friday that laboratory testing has confirmed the 10th human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus infection in a man from Freetown who died as a result of his illness.
Officials also confirmed a second human case of West Nile virus in a man in his 50s from Plymouth County.
There are 35 communities now at critical risk, 40 at high risk, and 128 at moderate risk for the EEE virus in Massachusetts. A map of the state’s current EEE risk levels can be found here.
“We continue to emphasize the need for people to protect themselves from mosquito bites,” said Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH. “The unusually warm weather expected this weekend will increase outdoor activity among people and mosquitoes. It is absolutely essential that people take steps to avoid being bitten by a mosquito.”
In addition to the 10 human cases of EEE this season in Massachusetts, there have also been eight confirmed cases of EEE this year in animals, including seven horses and a goat. Two people have died from EEE.
A 5-year-old Sudbury girl who was recently hospitalized in critical condition after she tested positive for the potentially fatal Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus has been moved out of the ICU and is continuing to improve.
State officials continue to remind residents throughout the Commonwealth to take personal precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Residents can learn more about EEE and ways to protect themselves on DPH’s website.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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