EEE found in Carver mosquitoes
Mosquito activity has been fairly uneventful this season. According to reports, the population is directly affected by the amount of rain we receive during the mosquito breeding season. The often-torrential rains the South Shore has received this season have served to wash away many of the mosquito eggs that were deposited in the wetlands, which kept the population low. But unfortunately, this is not a foolproof deterrent.
According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, mosquito pools in Carver recently tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). In addition, West Nile virus (WNV) was found in crows from Belchertown, Worcester, Hingham, Plymouth and Barnstable, and in mosquito samples from Boston, Brookline, Needham, Weymouth, Dedham, Brockton, Dartmouth, Worcester and Medford.
“It’s just one of those things that’s always out there,” Carver’s Board of Health Agent Robert Tinkham said. “We get the message out every year: protect yourself.”
Tinkham said the state would be talking about all the WNV and EEE cases that have come up in a telephone conference call with boards of health across the state Wednesday. Information gleaned from that conversation will help cities and towns decide if suspending evening activities is warranted.
“Obviously the Board of Health will look at the findings and decide whether or not to suspend evening outdoor activities,” Tinkham said. “We need to know if the mosquitoes that tested positive are bird biting mosquitoes or human biting mosquitoes.”
tinkham said the decision would be made in the next few days.
He said the real message he wants to get across is that people have to take it upon themselves to wear protection and alter their outdoor activities from dusk to dawn, which are the peak mosquito hours.
“People have to take the steps to protect themselves,” he said. “Public health and safety is the number one goal for our citizens.”
There are many easy ways to diminish mosquito populations in your neighborhoods, not the least of which is assuring that there are no places for water to collect and become stagnant, a perfect breeding spot for the potentially deadly creatures.
Residents are advised to drain standing water; frequently change water in kiddie pools and birdbaths, as well as outdoor pet bowls. Also check the rain gutters on your home and outbuildings for blockages that can allow water buildup.
Tinkham recommends using insect repellents that contain DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) and other effective insect sprays contain permethrin, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Follow proper application instructions on the product label; many are not recommended for young children.
DEET products should not be used on infants under 2 months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30 percent or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under3.
According to a press release from the state’s Department of Health, while the risk of EEE is low, it is still a risk. However, the risk of WNV infection is high.
“While there weren’t any human cases of EEE during 2007, there were 13 cases with six deaths during the last outbreak cycle from 2004 through 2006. In 2007, there were six human cases of WNV in Massachusetts. Both EEE and WNv are usually spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito,” the release stated. “WNV can infect people of all ages, but people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe disease. EEE is a generally more serious disease in all ages and can even cause death. This is the latest (Aug. 14) appearance of EEE in mosquitoes in Massachusetts since 2003, when the first positive was on Aug. 18.”
Tinkham said information on outdoor activities will be posted as soon as it becomes available. WNV-positive bird and mosquito results from 2008 can be found on the Arbovirus Surveillance Information Web page at westnile.ashtonweb.com.
For further information, contact the Carver Board of Health at 508-866-3420.
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a tropical cyclone has developed in the western pacific to the prior couple of days. now at tropical storm strength with 80 km/hr (50 mph) winds, ts kammuri is crossing over hong kong and has disrupted manner and ferry services between hong kong, taiwan and the china mainland. earlier reports when kammuri was forming, discussed the potential in the interest of this blizzard to disrupt the olympic opening ceremonies, but the storm track shows that this besiege will stay spectacularly south of any of the festivities.the following are from gdacs (global reverse observant and coordination way – link in sidebar)storm batters hong kong news24 2008-08-06 13:00 flights have been suspended and businesses closed in hong kong as tropical cloudburst kammuri battered the territory.cebu pacific cancels manila-hk-manila flights abs-cbnnews 2008-08-06 11:52 cebu pacific announced earlier today that its operations at naia terminal 3 have already normalized. however, meet to typhoon kammuri (known as typhoon igme in the philippines ), which is currently over hong kong , flights 5j 118 and 5j 119 (manila-hong kong-manila) will be cancelled.typhoon batters team gb olympic camp eadt 2008-08-06 11:16 the team gb olympic training camp-site in macau has been hit by a typhoon. heavy rain and blinding winds battered the region as tropical storm kammuri lashed the stretch, prompting a category eight typhoon example which meant that all offices and shops closed and public transport was suspended.south china prepares for evacuations as storm approaches straitstimessg 2008-08-06 09:48 beijing – millions living along china’s southern sea-coast braced themselves wednesday by reason of an approaching tropical storm, as officials ordered the evacuation of helpless areas. severe tropical storm kammuri was heading north across the south china legion and expected to redecorate landfall in south china’s….tropical electrical storm forces closures in hong kong iht 2008-08-06 08:17 the solicit of severe tropical storm kammuri affected businesses, guidance offices, financial markets and schools.hong kong shut down by storm in the lead of olympic equestrian events iht 2008-08-06 06:14 businesses, government offices, financial markets and schools were closed in hong kong and macau on wednesday morning with the approach of severe tropical storm kammuri, but olympic officials said that the storm was not affecting horses and riders in town for the olympic equestrian events.
