### Alert Issued Due to Deadly Mosquito-Borne Virus in Massachusetts
#### Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Has a Fatality Rate of About 30%
Residents of Massachusetts have been forced to remain indoors due to the threat of a rare and deadly disease spread by mosquitoes, known as the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus. Tens of thousands of people in the state are on high alert after the first case of the virus was reported.
Authorities have responded by closing public parks, restricting outdoor activities, rescheduling public events, and imposing a curfew from sunset to sunrise, the period when mosquitoes are most active. Health officials in Massachusetts have warned that ten counties in the state are at high risk from this rare but potentially fatal virus.
According to Axios, there are currently no vaccines or treatments available for the disease, which is commonly referred to as Triple E. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that the virus has a fatality rate of about 30% among those who contract it. Many survivors of the disease suffer from long-term neurological problems.
On August 16, Massachusetts health officials announced the first human case of EEE in the state this year, where an elderly man in his 80s contracted the virus in Oxford, Worcester County.
The state’s Department of Health has announced plans for aerial mosquito spraying in several areas across the state within the week. The initial symptoms of EEE typically appear 3 to 10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health. These symptoms include fever (ranging from 39.3°C to 41.1°C), neck stiffness, headache, and lack of energy.
The Department of Health also stated that “brain inflammation, known as encephalitis, is the most severe and common complication, with the illness progressing rapidly. Some patients may fall into a coma within a week.”
By/radwa sherif ✏️✏️📚