13th human case of West Nile Virus identified in Mass., officials say

BOSTON — State health officials say a thirteenth person in the Commonwealth has contracted West Nile Virus.

The infected party is a man in his 40s who was exposed in southern Essex County, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Risk levels for the virus are being raised to moderate in Middleton and North Reading as a result.

There have been 332 WNV-positive mosquito samples so far this year detected from Barnstable, Berkshire, Bristol, Dukes, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Worcester Counties.

Risk for the virus will continue until the first frost.

The DPH recommends the following steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from mosquito-borne illnesses:

• Apply Insect Repellent when Outdoors. Use a repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient, such as DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), or oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane-3,8-diol (PMD) or IR3535) according to the instructions on the product label.
• Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes.
• Drain Standing Water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water.
• Install or Repair Screens. Keep mosquitoes outside by having tightly fitting screens on all windows and doors.

More information, including all West Nile Virus- and EEE-positive results can be found at this website or by calling the DPH Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800.

Last year, there were only six human cases of WNV and no animal cases. No animal cases have been detected this year.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group