Newton Woman Confirmed to Have West Nile Virus

A Newton woman has been confirmed as the fourth human case of West Nile Virus in the state, the Massachusetts Dept. of Health and Human Services announced yesterday.

The threat level was raised to "High" in Brookline last week, after a Cambridge man in his 70s was hospitalizaed as the second human case this year. Last month, .

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The woman, who is in her 50s, was hospitalized briefly and is recovering, Mass.DPH said in a press release. As a result, the WNV threat level has been raised to "high" in Newton. In addition, the threat level has been raised to "moderate" in Needham, Waltham, Wellesley and Weston.

“With today’s announcement, it’s clear that the threat of mosquito-borne illness is present throughout the Commonwealth,” Mass. DPH State Epidemiologist Dr. Al DeMaria said in a press release. “It’s critically important that people across the state take steps to protect themselves against mosquito bites – especially with the warm temperatures and outdoor activities planned for this long Labor Day Weekend.”

Prior to today's announcement, there had been three human cases of WNV in Massachusetts – two in Middlesex County and one in Berkshire County. 

According to the release, officials are currently investigating six other probable human cases of WNV including four in Middlesex County, one in Hampden County and one in Essex County.

WNV-infected mosquitoes have been found in 93 communities from nine counties so far during 2012, according to the press release. 

WNV cases are up 40 percent since last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Wednesday. 

As of Aug. 28, 48 states have reported WNV infections in people, birds or mosquitoes, according to the CDC, with 1,590 cases of human infection — including 66 deaths — reported to the CDC. Of those human cases, 56 percent were classified as neuroinvasive disease, such as meningitis or encephalitis, and 44 percent were classified as non-neuroinvasive disease.

The full press release from Mass. DPH is included below:

State Health Officials Urge Heightened Vigilance Against Mosquito Bites as More Human Cases of West Nile Virus Emerge

One confirmed, six probable human cases in Essex, Hampden and Middlesex counties

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced that a fourth human case of West Nile virus (WNV) has been confirmed in the state. The patient, a Newton woman in her 50s, was briefly hospitalized and is recovering. As a result, the WNV threat level has been raised to “High” in Newton and to “Moderate” in Needham, Waltham, Wellesley and Weston. Health officials are also awaiting confirmation of an additional six probable human cases of WNV: four in Middlesex County, one in Hampden County and one in Essex County.

“With today’s announcement, it’s clear that the threat of mosquito-borne illness is present throughout the Commonwealth,” said DPH State Epidemiologist Dr. Al DeMaria. “It’s critically important that people across the state take steps to protect themselves against mosquito bites – especially with the warm temperatures and outdoor activities planned for this long Labor Day Weekend.”

“While we now have a confirmed WNV case in a Newton resident, we have known about positive mosquitoes in Newton since July,” said Dr. Dori Zaleznik, Commissioner of Health and Human Services for the City of Newton. “We continue to urge our residents to take common-sense precautions to prevent mosquito bites by using insect repellent – especially if you need to be out between dusk and dawn.”

WNV infected mosquitoes have been found in 93 communities from nine counties so far during 2012, and health officials predict that the state is on track to have the greatest number of WNV-positive mosquito pools since WNV was first seen in Massachusetts in 2000. There have been three human cases of WNV in Massachusetts prior to today’s announcement – two in Middlesex County and one in Berkshire County. There were six cases of WNV in Massachusetts residents and one in a horse last year. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe disease. WNV is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms. When present, WNV symptoms tend to include fever and flu-like illness. In rare cases, more severe illness can occur.

People have an important role to play in protecting themselves and their loved ones from illnesses caused by mosquitoes:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

• Apply Insect Repellent when Outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] or IR3535 according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.
• Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours. The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitoes. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning.
• Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

Mosquito-Proof Your Home

• Drain Standing Water. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or discarding items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.
• Install or Repair Screens. Keep mosquitoes outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.

Protect Your Animals

Animal owners should reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water from containers such as buckets, tires, and wading pools — especially after heavy rains. Water troughs provide excellent mosquito breeding habitats and should be flushed out at least once a week during the summer months to reduce mosquitoes near paddock areas. Horse owners should keep horses in indoor stalls at night to reduce their risk of exposure to mosquitoes. If an animal is diagnosed with WNV or EEE, owners are required to report to DAR, Division of Animal Health by calling 617-626-1795 and to the Department of Public Health (DPH) by calling 617-983-6800.