 |
| Photo/CDC |
Several towns on Massachusetts’s South Shore have been placed on a “High” Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) threat level after a Plymouth County resident was confirmed positive for the mosquito borne viral infection.According to a Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) news release Thursday, the patient, in his 60s, is the fourth human case of EEE in the state this year.This prompted health officials to raise the EEE threat level in the towns of Duxbury, Marshfield, Norwell, and Plymouth.The DPH says communities, which have been designated at “High” risk of EEE, are urged to cancel all planned evening outdoor events for the remainder of the season until the first hard frost. Mosquito control projects will be increasing ground spraying activities in these communities.The current EEE patient is hospitalized and being treating for the infection. Massachusetts has reported one fatality as a result of EEE this year.In addition to the EEE cases, DPH also reported the confirmation of the 14th human case of West Nile Virus(WNV) in a Massachusetts resident this year.DPH State Epidemiologist Dr. Al DeMaria said, "Today’s announcement is yet another serious reminder that the threat of mosquito-borne illness is still with us, and will remain so until we see the first hard overnight frost”.Eastern Equine Encephalitis is a mosquito-borne virus that is quite rare in the United States, with only 5-10 cases reported annually according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). EEE virus is one of several mosquito-transmitted viruses that can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).It is not transmitted from person to person.People at highest risk of getting this infection are those who live in or visit woodland habitats, and people who work outside or participate in outdoor recreational activities, because of greater exposure to potentially infected mosquitoes.Symptoms usually start from a few days to more than a week after getting bit by an infected mosquito. These include a sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills, and vomiting. The disease can progress to disorientation, seizures, and coma. It is fatal in approximately 30 percent of the cases.There is no specific treatment for this infection and a vaccine is not available for prevention.The CDC advises the public to take the following preventive measures to prevent mosquito-borne diseases:• Use insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and/or clothing. The repellent/insecticide permethrin can be used on clothing to protect through several washes. Always follow the directions on the package.
• Wear long sleeves and pants when weather permits.
• Have secure, intact screens on windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets, barrels, and other containers. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children’s wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren’t being used.For more infectious disease news and information, follow the Infectious Disease News Facebook page
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder