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A 53-year-old male has been diagnosed as the town's first human case of West Nile virus this year, the state Department of Public Health announced Sept. 17. The victim was not further identified. Christine M. Connolly, town health and human services director, said the man was bitten in Arlington between Aug. 15 and 25, The Boston Globe reported Sept. 18.
"But that doesn't mean residents here in Arlington can stop using mosquito repellant," Connolly told The Globe.
"Connolly said she wasn’t completely sure where the man
may have contracted the virus through a mosquito bite, or even if it
was definitely in Arlington. Connolly did say, however, that the
investigative reports of the disease made it seem to her that the
disease was in fact contracted in Arlington."
Although serious illness caused by West Nile Virus is uncommon, illness has been identified in a small number of people in Massachusetts for the past several years. Three human cases were identified in 2006 and six human cases in 2005, one of whom died from the virus.
Additionally, West Nile has been found in horses, mosquitoes and many species of birds throughout the state. The mosquitoes that carry this virus are common throughout the state, and these mosquitoes are found in cities as well as in the woods and other less populated places. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection.
“The risk of contracting WNV remains well into the fall so residents should continue to wear bug repellant even on cooler nights because mosquitoes are still biting,” said Connolly, in a statement released by the town Sept. 17.
The Arlington Board of Health and MDPH recommend that the public take action now to avoid mosquito bites and reduce mosquito populations around their home and neighborhoods.
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Limit your time outdoors during peak periods of mosquito activity (dusk and dawn) or, if you must remain outdoors, wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants.
- Use a mosquito repellent that contains DEET or Picaridin. Oil of lemon eucalyptus may also be considered. Products with permethrin should only be used on clothing. Always follow the directions on the label. Repellents should not be used on children younger than two months of age. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.
- Take special care to cover up the arms and legs of children playing outdoors. When you bring a baby outdoors, cover the baby’s carriage or playpen with mosquito netting.
- Fix any holes in your screens and make sure they are tightly attached to all your doors and windows.
- Remove any standing water around your home that is available for mosquito breeding. Mosquitoes will begin to breed in any puddle or standing water that lasts for more than four days. Make sure water does not collect and stagnate in ceramic pots, trash cans, recycling containers, old tires, wading pools, bird baths, etc. Remove leaves and debris that may prevent drainage of roof gutters.
Information about West Nile and reports of its activity in Massachusetts can be found on the MDPH Web site.
The Arlington Board of Health will continue to work closely with MDPH and the Eastern Middlesex Mosquito Control Program to improve awareness of and decrease the risk from West Nile Virus.
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performs "Metropolis" Thursday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. at the Regent
Theater. General admission...
