BOSTON (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – More mosquito pools
in Roslindale and West Roxbury have tested positive for West Nile Virus, the
Boston Public Heath Commission reported on Thursday.
In July, positive samples were found in mosquito pools in East Boston, North
Dorchester, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, and West
Roxbury.
In June, a positive mosquito pool was found in Roslindale. There have still
been no confirmed human cases of WNV in Boston
in 2012.
In addition to the West Nile Virus threat, the
Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced on Thursday that mammal-biting
mosquitoes infected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) were found in New Bedford and
Westborough.
As a result, health officials have raised the EEE threat level to
"High" in these two communities and recommend that outdoor evening
events are curtailed there for the remainder of the summer. Ground-based
spraying by mosquito control projects is ongoing in both New Bedford and Westborough and will be
enhanced.
There has been one confirmed human case of EEE in a Massachusetts resident this year, a
Metrowest resident believed to have contracted the disease while traveling out
of state. There were two cases of EEE in August of last year acquired in Massachusetts; a fatal case in a Bristol County
man and an infection in a tourist from out of state.
More information, including all WNV and EEE positive
results from 2012, can be found on the Arbovirus Surveillance Information web
page at www.mass.gov/dph/wnv or by
calling the DPH Epidemiology Program at 617-983-6800. The findings of the DPH
Eastern Equine Encephalitis Expert Panel can be found here.
