DPH offers mosquito season information and safety tips

With mosquitoes making their summer return, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is reminding residents and municipal officials to remain on guard against mosquito-borne illnesses such as West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis.

The DPH works with established Mosquito Control Districts to trap and test samples of mosquitoes to help measure and track risk throughout the season. The agency posts updates online at Massachusetts arbovirus update.

EEE infections in people don’t happen every year in Massachusetts, according to the DPH. But the state did have four cases last year, which could indicate that there may be more cases this year. West Nile is more common, and last year the state had 19 human cases.

No human cases of either disease have been detected so far this year, but on June 17 the state announced the first detection of West Nile in mosquitoes, from a sample collected in Shrewsbury four days earlier.

“Mid-June is earlier than we typically first find West Nile virus-infected mosquitoes in Massachusetts,” Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a statement.

He added that West Nile activity is difficult to predict, which is why the mosquito surveillance system is so important. The earlier onset of disease detection in mosquitoes, while concerning, does not necessarily forecast a bad season this year.

“This early detection serves as a reminder that people should take steps to prevent mosquito bites,” Goldstein said.

Only a small number of mosquitoes are infected at any given time, so being bitten by a mosquito doesn’t mean someone will get sick. But people should still try to avoid these illnesses by doing the following:
• Use insect repellents with an EPA-approved active ingredient while outdoors
• Wear long-sleeved clothing, long pants and socks as weather permits
• Schedule outdoor activities to avoid the hours from dusk to dawn during peak mosquito season
• Install or repair window and door screens
• Remove standing water from the areas around your home

For more information, visit the DPH’s Mosquito-borne Diseases page, which is updated with new results, or call the DPH Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800.

• Visit DPH’s web page with FAQs about mosquitoes in Massachusetts