DPH: 3 human cases of West Nile virus confirmed in Mass.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has announced the first three cases of West Nile virus in the state this year.

Of the three cases, one is a woman in her 70s from Worcester County who was hospitalized and released. The second is a woman in her 60s from Middlesex County who was not hospitalized. The third is a woman in her 50s from Suffolk County who was hospitalized and released.

DPH officials say a horse stabled in Hampshire County was also infected. Unfortunately, the horse became severely ill and had to be euthanized.

This comes just days after DPH announced it was raising the risk of West Nile in the state from low to moderate. This was the second time ever that DPH did this.

MORE: Mass. DPH raises West Nile risk to moderate for every community in the state

"August and September are the months when we typically see more human cases because it is the beginning of the peak season for possible West Nile virus human infections,” said DPH State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown. “These new human cases illustrate why we informed people about the increased risk for human infections earlier this week.”

In 2017, there were six human cases of West Nile in Mass.

DPH is urging residents to take precautions by using insect repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing and limiting outdoor activities during the hours around dawn and dusk during peak mosquito season.

Cox Media Group