A rare but dangerous mosquito-borne virus is becoming a major threat in the US.
As a result, nearly a dozen towns in the US are shutting public parks at night and restricting outdoor activities when mosquitoes are most active, as per BBC.
Ten towns in Massachusetts are now at high or critical risk for eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), which spreads through mosquito bites.
The warning came after mosquitoes in the area tested positive for EEE and the state reported its first human case since 2020.
Moreover, the risk level in Plymouth, Massachusetts, was raised after the virus was detected in a horse.
While, a man in his 80s was diagnosed with the virus on August 16.
Severity of the virus:
EEE is highly severe, with a fatality rate between 33% and 70% if infected.
Most deaths occur two to ten days after symptoms start, which include diarrhea, fever, headache, seizures, and vomiting.
There are no vaccines or treatments for EEE, also known as "Triple E," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
To combat the outbreak, officials are spraying the pesticide Anvil 10+10 and advising people to avoid outdoor activities in the evening, when mosquitoes are most active, until the end of September.
This is not the first EEE outbreak in Massachusetts, there were 17 human cases and seven deaths in 2019 and 2020.
