[ad_1]
LOWELL – Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEE) has been detected in a mosquito sample at South Lowell, announced this week the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
According to a press release, 20 mosquito traps throughout the city are tested weekly to identify diseases that are potentially transmitted by insects. The town of Lowell will spray on August 19, 21 and 28 after sunset to control the adult mosquito population, Lowell Health Department said.
Mosquito testing and management is conducted by the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project, which serves communities in Middlesex and Worcester counties.
The EEE is transmitted by mosquito bites and is not contagious. According to the press release, people under the age of 15 and over 50 are most at risk of serious illness. EEE-carrying mosquito species usually breed in stagnant water, or in freshwater and wooded wetlands, indicates loosening.
The most effective preventative measure is to avoid mosquito bites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC recommends using an insect repellent containing one of the following ingredients: DEET, picaridine (KBR 3023), IR3535, eucalyptus lemon oil, para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone. Do not use insect repellent in infants less than 2 months old and do not use products containing lemon eucalyptus oil in children under 3 years old, indicates the CDC.
The Lowell Department of Health recommends wearing protective clothing, such as shirts and long-sleeved pants, and avoiding mosquito rush hours, from dusk to dawn. To protect your home, use a mosquito net and repair the holes in the mosquito nets, also advises the CDC.
The Lowell Department of Health and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health were not available for immediate comment on Saturday or Sunday.
[ad_2]
Source link