Two more Massachusetts residents have been infected with mosquitoes carrying the deadly West Nile Virus, and public health officials are warning that the risk of contracting the disease is still high.
A 53-year-old man from Arlington and a 48-year-old woman from Worcester became ill in August with West Nile Virus, the Department of Public Health announced today.
Three others in Massachusetts have been infected with West Nile Virus-carrying mosquitoes, although DPH officials believe they all contracted the virus while out of state.
The Arlington man and Worcester woman are the first cases where the infection likely occurred in Massachusetts, DPH said today.
Even though it may feel like fall, September is still a “key time period” for human cases of West Nile Virus and eastern equine encephalitis, another dangerous mosquito-borne illness, said Al DeMaria, director of Communicable Disease Control at DPH.
“With the recent rains and warm weather scheduled for later this week, we’re likely to see continued mosquito activity for several more weeks,” he said.
People age 50 and older are at higher risk for severe disease from West Nile Virus.
There have been 1,395 cases of West Nile virus infections in humans this year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including eight in New England.
DPH has found West Nile in 36 birds and 52 mosquito samples. EEE has been found in 24 mosquito samples this year.
DPH officials urged residents to take precautions to avoid getting bit.
“People have an important role to play in protecting themselves and their loved ones. We hope that individuals will respond with a heightened awareness of the danger and greater use of personal protection to avoid mosquito bites,” Mary Gilchrist, director of the State Laboratory Institute said in a statement.
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