The West Nile virus (WNV) and the Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) are worrying the authorities in Ottawa and Massachusetts, who are urging the population to be vigilant.
Ottawa Public Health recently recommended on social media site X that “residents protect themselves from mosquito bites to reduce the risk of Eastern equine encephalitis virus and West Nile virus.”
NEW: Ottawa Public Health recommends that residents protect themselves from mosquito bites to reduce the risk of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus and West Nile virus.
Plus d’info : https://t.co/R8gQQszYio
— Ottawa Public Health (@OttawaHealth) August 21, 2024
“EEV is normally transmitted between wild birds and mosquitoes, but can infect horses, and rarely humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes, in the same way as WNV,” reads a news release issued by Ottawa Public Health.
South of the border, in Massachusetts, Forbes reported that officials have closed parks in Plymouth, just over 40 miles south of Boston, due to elevated risks. Officials urged people to postpone outdoor activities, due to the elevated risk in the evening or early morning.
Critical situation
The towns of Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster in Massachusetts are considered “critical” by authorities.
Symptoms of EEEV include fever, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, and drowsiness. The disease kills about 30 percent of people who get it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ottawa Public Health confirms that the disease is “concerning,” although it is “rare.” It can cause serious neurological illness and even death, it says in the news release.
As for WNV, 216 cases have been reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including 37 cases in Texas. Note that 80% of people who contract the virus are asymptomatic.
In Canada, 14 mosquito populations have been infected and two human cases of WNV have been reported to Ottawa Public Health as of August 19, she confirmed.
It is worth noting that former public health advisor to the US presidents, Anthony Fauci, is recovering from the West Nile virus. He was hospitalized about ten days ago, after feeling significant fatigue due to the illness.
