WORCESTER, Mass. – Massachusetts this week reported the first human case of Triple E in four years in Oxford. Communities are now on high alert and considering measures to protect people from being exposed.
While it is rare, eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a serious disease spread through bites of infected mosquitoes.
A doctor from UMass said the best way to avoid it is to avoid getting bug bites.
Triple E, also sometimes called the "sleeping sickness," is most dangerous for older adults. In Massachusetts, the virus is most often identified in mosquitoes found in and around freshwater and hardwood swamps.
Since the virus was first identified in Massachusetts in 1938, just more than 115 cases have occurred.
Symptoms of EEE usually appear three to 10 days after getting bitten by an infected mosquito.
According to the state Health Department, outbreaks of EEE occur in Massachusetts every 10 to 20 years and typically last up to three years.
UMass epidemiologist Dr. Richard Ellison said the best preventative measure is to reduce your chances of getting bitten.
"We think that most people who actually get exposed to it did not get sick," Ellison said. "The people who get sick usually can start out with a low-grade fever, some nausea, not feeling well. So, maybe a little bit of vomiting. But then they get a progressively worse headache, and they can go on to confusion and signs of severe brain infection. What do you do to avoid it? Avoid getting mosquito bites. And so that's by far the best way. But make sure there's no holes in the screens in your windows. Make sure that if your children are outside, you know, they get covered up with some netting over the over their carriage, put on bug spray, anything used to prevent ticket exposures also works great for mosquitoes."
In response to the identified case of EEE in Oxford, the town's board of health voted to recommend an outdoor curfew, which is a recommendation, not a requirement.
Oxford, Webster, Sutton and Douglas are considered to be at a critical risk level.