EEE in Worcester, Massachusetts is Making the News for all the Wrong Reasons

If you’ve been paying attention to the local, or even national, news, then you’ve most likely heard the term “EEE”. It stands for Eastern Equine Encephalitis and it’s quite rare for humans to contract it. However, there are already four reported cases of the mosquito-borne illness in Massachusetts. Furthermore, sadly, there has been one fatality as a result of the disease. So, what is Eastern Equine Encephalitis and how do you know if you’ve been infected?

According to a recent news article, “The disease can be hard to spot because its initial symptoms are common to many illnesses: high fever, headache and chills”. Dr. Catherine Brown, who is the state epidemiologist for the Department of Public Health states that, “because this is a disease that invades the central nervous system, that can progress relatively rapidly to changes in level of consciousness, leading to seizures, coma and about a 40% fatality rate”.

The best method of reducing your chances of becoming infected with the disease is to limit your exposure to mosquitoes. Again, according to the article, “Historically, the most EEE cases have been diagnosed in Bristol and Plymouth counties, Brown says, but the state can see “intense activity” outside of that – currently in Middlesex and Worcester counties, as well as an area of northern Franklin county.

Make sure your yard isn’t a mosquito breeding ground. Remove any pots, children’s toys, tools or tarps that are collecting standing water. It only takes a bottle cap’s worth of water for mosquitoes lay their eggs. Removing standing water will ensure that your yard isn’t a mosquito breeding sanctuary. Also, it’s recommended to reschedule outdoor events that are planned between dusk and dawn in the areas where there’s the highest risk of contracting EEE.

Lastly, if you’d like to dramatically reduce the mosquito activity in your yard, all you have to do is Alert the Squad. At Mosquito Squad of Worcester, we utilize a barrier protection application that will reduce the mosquito population in your yard by up to 85% - 90%. We’ve been protecting customers’ yards since 2005 and there’s a good reason that we’re still in business – because it works!

If you’re looking for more information regarding EEE, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We think it pertinent to ensure that you have all the latest news regarding mosquito-borne illnesses, both locally and those that are potentially going to become locally spread.

For more information, call us today at (508) 388-5640 or fill out our form here. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you keep your yard free of mosquitoes all spring, summer and fall.