Friday, June 14, 2013
Patch offers mosquito prevention tips, and the map below shows the number of West Nile cases last summer.
After a particularly tough year for the West Nile virus in 2012, Massachusetts health officials are bracing for what could be another busy summer for the mosquito-borne illness. Although, with so many factors playing into the problem, the track of West Nile is not an easy one to predict, said Kevin Cranston, director of the Bureau of Infectious Disease for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. “We can’t pin down all of the elements that go into why one season is bad and another season is not,” Cranston said. But if this summer is similar to last summer—marked by extended periods of very hot weather—some parts of the state could see a high number of cases as occurred in 2012. To give residents a sense of West Nile’s prevalence in …
Friday, September 7, 2012
A Worcester resident in his 60s with severe underlying medical conditions was diagnosed with WNV in mid-August and has since died of the illness.
The first death of a Massachusetts resident due to West Nile Virus (WNV) since 2005 and additional human cases have led state officials to raise the threat level statewide to at least 'moderate." A Worcester resident in his 60s with severe underlying medical conditions was diagnosed with WNV in mid-August and has since died of the illness, the state Department of Public Health (DPH) announced on Friday. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of this gentleman during this difficult time," Worcester Division of Public Health Acting Commissioner Dr. Michael Hirsh said in a DPH press release. "While we have been fortunate that we have seen a very low number of human West Nile cases, on rare occasion WNV can be very serious. …
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
West Nile Virus-infected mosquitoes have been found in 67 communities from nine counties so far during 2012.
An unidentified Cambridge man in his 70s is the second person in Middlesex County to be infected by the West Nile Virus this year, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services. The man remained hospitalized as of last week, according to a DHHS press release. "The announcement is a compelling indicator that the threat of mosquito-borne illness is widespread, and people should continue taking simple, common-sense steps to protect themselves and their families against mosquito bites," said DPH Commissioner John Auerbach in a written statement. "Use insect repellant, cover exposed skin, and avoid outdoor activities at dusk and after nightfall when mosquitoes are their most active." West Nile Virus-infected mosquitoes have …
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
It's the first human case of WNV in Massachusetts this year.
An unidentified man from Middlesex County is this year's first person to be infected by the West Nile Virus in Massachusetts, according to the state's Department of Health and Human Services. The man is in his 60s and lives in a community north of Boston, according to a press release from the Department of Health and Human Services Aug. 15. The man was diagnosed with West Nile Virus in late July, the release said; he remains hospitalized but is recovering. Testing conducted on July 24 found the virus in mosquito pools in neighboring communities including Medford, Malden and Melrose, according to state data. Mosquitos infected by the virus have been found in 48 communities and nine counties in Massachusetts so far this year, according to …
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
A video roundup of the area's latest developments for Wednesday, July 27.
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