A woman in Plymouth County has tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis — the second confirmed human case in the state this year, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced Thursday.
The woman is in her 30s and was exposed in Plymouth County, becoming infected with EEE before crews finished spraying the area with anti-mosquito pesticides, the health department said in a statement.
The first human infection this year was a man in his 80s who was exposed to EEE in southern Worcester county.
A 41-year-old Hampstead, N.H. man also died of EEE this month.
In addition, the second horse to become infected in Massachusetts this year contracted the virus in Plymouth County, health officials said Thursday.
So far, there have been 76 EEE-positive mosquito samples detected in Massachusetts this year, the health department said.
Humans can contract EEE by being bitten by an infected mosquito, according to the health department. About half the people identified with EEE in Massachusetts have died from the infection, according to the Department of Public Health.
“People who survive this disease will often be permanently disabled. Few people recover completely,” the health department said on the state’s website.
Officials recommend applying insect repellent, avoiding “peak mosquito hours,” draining standing water, and installing screens on windows and doors.
The hours from dusk to dawn are “peak biting times” for mosquitoes, the health department said, so people should consider rescheduling outdoor activities during the evening or early morning in high risk areas.
The state is updating its town-by-town map of EEE risk levels across Massachusetts and has urged residents to continue to protect themselves against mosquitoes even after mosquito spraying.
Also on Thursday, the Town of Winthop announced that a mosquito tested positive for West Nile virus, bringing the town’s risk level up to high.
Most people bitten by mosquitoes carrying West Nile will experience no symptoms or very mild symptoms and will recover on their own, according to Winthrop Health Director Meredith Hurley.
More information about EEE can be found here. You can also learn more about West Nile Virus here.
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