The United States administration is implementing measures against Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
Authorities in the northeastern U.S. state of Massachusetts are considering deploying insecticides to tackle the EEE virus, responsible for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), a rare disease. With the first case in four years being reported in Massachusetts, the local health department has announced that they'll be spraying pesticides from the air this week in specific high-risk zones to control the proliferation of mosquitoes carrying the virus.
As of now, three human cases of EEE have been confirmed in Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Jersey in 2023. Signs of the viral ailment include fever, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness. As per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 30% of EEE cases prove fatal, and many survivors end up with neurological complications. Sadly, there's no readily available vaccine or treatment for the EEE virus.
In the city of Plymouth, known as a high-risk location, all public recreational areas and green spaces have been closed from sundown to dawn. For the residents of the ten high-risk regions in Massachusetts, health officials advise using mosquito repellent during the evening hours, covering exposed skin, and minimizing outdoor activities as much as possible.
The authorities are contemplating using pesticides to combat the EEE virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes that thrive on pesticide-free environments. To reduce the risk of EEE infection, the CDC recommends using insect repellents containing EPA-registered pesticides.
