Middlesex County Resident Is Second West Nile Case Of 2024: DPH

SUDBURY, MA — A Middlesex County resident has contracted the rare but potentially serious West Nile virus, the second human case confirmed in Massachusetts this summer.

According to state health officials, the person is in his 70s, and lives in an area at "moderate risk" for West Nile. The person has developed West Nile encephalitis, a more severe form of the disease. Only a few communities in Middlesex County are at the moderate risk level, including Sudbury, Wayland, Marlborough, Framingham and Natick.

"We are in the peak time of the year when most people are exposed to West Nile virus in Massachusetts. Residents should continue to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites," state Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein said in a news release.

This is the first human case in Middlesex County this summer. The first in the entire state was confirmed in a Hampden County resident last week. Other communities in the county at moderate risk include Newton, Watertown, Melrose, Cambridge, Wakefield, Stoneham, Woburn, Burlington, Bedford, Dracut and Lowell.

So far this summer, the state has found 145 West Nile-positive mosquito samples, and 34 Eastern equine encephalitis samples. There haven't been any human EEE cases yet, but a horse in Plymouth tested positive for EEE last week.

Health officials are reminding residents across the state to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites.

• Use insect repellent containing ingredients like DEET, permethrin (apply to clothing only), picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus
• Avoid being outdoors during peak mosquito hours from dusk to dawn
• If possible, wear long sleeves, long pants and socks while outdoors
• Mosquito-proof your home by keeping screens in good condition and draining any pools of standing water, such as in bird baths