Rare deadly mosquitoes invade America, public facilities closed

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – A rare and deadly disease spread by mosquitoes is attacking a city in Massachusetts, United States. As a result of the attack, public parks were forced to close at night. Residents are also advised not to leave their homes at night.

They are concerned about the threat of the E virusAstern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) or which is translated as Eastern walrus encephalitis. State health officials announced last week that a man in his 80s had contracted the disease. This is the first human case found in Massachusetts since 2020.

Referring to the report AP NewsThe City of Plymouth announced Friday that it will close public outdoor recreation facilities from dawn to dusk each day after a horse in the city was infected with the disease.

Meanwhile, state health officials warned that four towns south of Worcester – Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster – were at “high risk” after a man from Oxford contracted the virus.

The presence of the EEE virus in Massachusetts was confirmed last month in mosquito samples, and has been found in other mosquitoes across the state since that case was confirmed. In the 2019 outbreak, six deaths were recorded among 12 confirmed cases in Massachusetts. The outbreak continued the following year with five cases and one death.

To date, there is no vaccine or cure for EEE.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that although it is rare, EEE is very serious and about 30% of infected people die. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.

Survivors are often permanently disabled, and many do not fully recover, Massachusetts authorities said. This disease is common in birds. Although humans and some other mammals can contract EEE, they do not spread the disease.

The CDC says that only a few cases of EEE are reported in the US each year, with most infections found in the eastern and Gulf coast states.

Jennifer Callahan, an officer in Oxford, explained in a memo that the family of the man who got the virus in mid-August had contacted her office.

“They want people to understand that this is a serious disease with serious physical and emotional consequences, whether the person lives or not,” Callahan wrote.

He said the infected person often told his family that he had never been bitten by a mosquito. However, just before the man showed symptoms, he admitted that he had been bitten. Currently the man is still receiving treatment in hospital to fight against the deadly virus.

Health officials urged residents in these cities to avoid peak times for mosquito bites by ending outdoor activities before 6pm until September 30.

(hsy/hsy)