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Health officials in Massachusetts are sounding the alarm after a man in his 80s was diagnosed with eastern equine encephalitis, a rare and potentially fatal virus spread by mosquitos. It is the first reported case in the state since 2020.
He remains in the hospital and is "courageously battling" the virus, said Jennifer Callahan, Oxford's town manager.
Officials warned that four towns, Douglas, Oxford, Sutton, and Webster, are at "critical risk" and urged people to stay inside during peak mosquito-biting times. That means heading inside by 6 p.m. until September 31. From September 31 until the first hard frost of the season, officials said residents should do their best to finish up outdoor activities by 5 p.m.
In the town of Plymouth, local officials announced that all parks and fields would be closed down at dusk after a horse became infected with the virus.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly one-third of people infected with eastern equine encephalitis die.
There is no cure for the virus, and the CDC warned that most people who contract the virus never fully recover and suffer lifelong disabilities.
Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures.
An outbreak in 2019 and 2020 resulted in 17 cases and seven fatalities.