Rhode Island officials have confirmed a fourth finding of the potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus eastern equine encephalitis and the first finding of West Nile virus.
State environmental and health officials said Tuesday a second mosquito sample trapped at Chapman Swamp in Westerly, Rhode Island tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis and mosquitoes trapped in Tiverton are the first to test positive for West Nile in the state this year.
The state said last week that a man over 50 from West Warwick tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis — the first human case in Rhode Island since 2010 — and a six-month-old horse in Westerly tested positive.
The state has begun trapping mosquitoes in five more communities, for a total of 23 municipalities.
Aerial spraying is scheduled to begin at Chapman Swamp Thursday, weather permitting.
