Thursday, 4:30 PM
Nine-year-old 3rd confirmed case of EEE
By Adrienne P. Samuels, Globe Staff, and Andrew Ryan, Globe Correspondent
State health officials confirmed today that a 9-year-old boy from Middleborough is the third human case of the mosquito-borne Eastern equine encephalitis virus this year.
John Fontaine developed a fever on Aug. 18 and remains hospitalized and seriously ill. The state's first confirmed case, Sheila Clark, 52, of Lakeville, is hospitalized in critical condition. The second, Derek Ashworth, 23, of Acushnet was released Friday.
The Department of Public Health has come under fire for the state’s first aerial spraying of pesticide in 16 years to try to curb the mosquito population and stop the spread of the disease. Some organic farmers and environmentalists decried the spraying because they said it would damage crops and foul the water supply.
Other residents and politicians in Southeastern Massachusetts criticized the state agency for not conducting aerial spraying earlier than Aug. 9, when 159,000 acres in Bristol and Plymouth counties were sprayed. A second spraying last week covered an additional 425,000 acres in Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk counties. The virus has been detected in about 50 mosquitoes, surpassing the number detected in any of the past five years.
Last year, an elderly Kingston man and a Halifax girl died from the virus.
Symptoms of EEE include high fever, headache, stiff neck, disorientation and a lack of energy, which usually appear five to seven days after infection. Encephalitis, or inflammation and swelling of the brain, is the most dangerous complication and can put patients in a coma in a week.
Officials asked people to take precautions against mosquitoes, especially those living in the southeastern part of the state. They urged resident to remove standing water near their home in rain gutters and drains where mosquitoes can breed and to check window and screens for holes. If outdoors while mosquitoes are biting, people are urged to wear long sleeves and pants and use repellent that contains DEET.
