Deadly virus case confirmed in Massachusetts

Updated
Deadly Virus Case Confirmed In Massachusetts
Deadly Virus Case Confirmed In Massachusetts


Reports of a deadly virus are coming out of Massachusetts. It's called the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) and it was found in mosquitoes.

So far there's just one confirmed case of a person being infected in the state, and it's the mosquitoes in Plymouth County that are reportedly carrying it. The U.S. only sees about four to six cases every year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include brain swelling, severe headaches, fever and body aches and typically last 1 to 2 weeks. Approximately a third of people infected die from the disease.

Researchers say it isn't something to stay shut indoors about, but they do recommend staying away from the bugs as usual.

Last year, Massachusetts collected more than 6,000 mosquito samples, with 1 percent testing positive for the virus. The positive samples were collected from 27 towns across six counties.

Experts suggest avoiding wooded or wet areas and wearing bug spray to lower your chances of being bitten by the mosquitoes.


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