Hampden County

2nd Human Case of EEE Detected in Massachusetts

A woman in her 60s from Hampden County in the western part of the state tested positive on Saturday

NBC Universal, Inc.

The second confirmed human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis of the season has been detected in Massachusetts, officials said.

A woman in her 60s from Hampden County in the western part of the state tested positive on Saturday, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). As a result, the risk level for EEE in Wilbraham has been raised to critical and the risk level in Hampden and Monson has been raised to high.

Other communities in the region have been raised to a moderate risk for the mosquito-borne illness, officials said.

Statewide, three communities are at a critical risk, eight are high and 20 are at moderate. The first case of EEE for the season was uncovered in Middleboro earlier in August.

In 2019, there were 12 human cases of EEE in Massachusetts, resulting in six deaths.

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