The first human case of West Nile Virus has been reported in Hampden County.
Not only the first in the county- the first in the state this year.
A man in his 40’s from Hampden County has been diagnosed with the virus.
The State Health Department does not narrow it down any further.
Officials say a horse in Plymouth has been diagnosed with EEE.
“Historically, August and September are the months when most people are exposed to West Nile virus in Massachusetts. This is also the first year with elevated EEE activity since our last outbreak in 2019 and 2020,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “Populations of mosquitoes that can carry and spread these viruses are large this year and we continue to see increases in the number of EEE- and WNV-positive mosquito samples throughout the state. Residents should continue to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.”
WNV is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.
There were six human cases of WNV and no animal cases in 2023.
No animal cases of WNV have been detected so far this year.
(Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)