A potentially deadly disease prompted overnight lockdowns in Massachusetts towns

Eastern equine encephalitis causes high mortality rates. (ShutterStock Spain)

In an effort to contain the spread of a dangerous mosquito-borne disease, four Massachusetts towns—Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster—have implemented a voluntary overnight lockdown. The move comes after the state Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed the first human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in Worcester County since 2020.

According to the New York Post, the Oxford Health Board voted on Wednesday to support the recommendation that people stay home after 6 p.m., a measure that will be effective until September 30.

Starting Oct. 1, people are advised to stay indoors after 5 p.m. until the first hard frost. The public health advisory, shared with Fox News Digital, said the period from dusk to dawn is considered “peak mosquito time.”

The health advisories designate all four communities as critical risk. “It is the Board of Health’s responsibility to protect public health, and we take EEE very seriously. We strongly encourage residents to follow these recommendations due to the severity of EEE and the fact that it is in our community,” a spokesperson for the Town of Oxford said in an email to Fox News Digital.

Affected communities are processing insurance and compensation forms. (REUTERS/Eva Manez)

“We want to educate our residents about EEE and the seriousness of the disease, as well as make them aware of the risk,” the spokesperson continued.

Authorities have said that the lockdown measures are considered recommendations and there will be no penalties for those who do not comply. However, those who wish to use municipal pitches outside the recommended times will have to prove that they have insurance and sign an indemnity form.

Oxford is working closely with Douglas, Sutton and Webster, the other critical risk communities, to jointly deliver these recommendations.

In the educational field, “schools are working to reschedule and adjust their sports calendars so that practices and games take place before afternoon schedules and during weekends,” according to the communication received by Fox News Digital.

Eastern equine encephalitis is a rare but serious disease caused by a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only a few cases are reported in the United States each year, mostly in the eastern or Gulf Coast regions.

Humans and other animals that contract the virus are considered “terminal hosts,” meaning they cannot transmit it to mosquitoes that bite them.

Oxford residents must stay at home after detecting the virus. (Illustrative Image Infobae)

Common symptoms of EEE include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, seizures, behavioral changes and drowsiness. These symptoms usually appear five to 10 days after the bite. The disease can be life-threatening, resulting in fatalities for 30% of infected people, and can also lead to chronic neurological deficits, according to the CDC.

The fact that local mosquitoes carry the virus and a patient in Massachusetts has been infected is “worrisome,” according to experts consulted by the New York Post. In that sense, they suggest that nightly lockdowns could be protective, although other options could include public education about the risk, the use of mosquito repellents and spraying to prevent the prevalence of these insects.

Currently, there is no vaccine for Eastern equine encephalitis.