Not out of woods with mosquitoes
As the region weathers the height of the mosquito season, the number of mosquitoes testing positive for the potentially deadly diseases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile is creeping up.
Since Aug. 1, EEE has been detected in mosquitoes in Easton, Halifax, Kingston, Plympton, Raynham, and West Bridgewater, while West Nile has shown up in mosquitoes in Brockton, Easton, Foxborough, and Weymouth.
Prior to August, one of the diseases was evident in only one town in Southeastern Massachusetts: Raynham, where a pool of mosquitoes tested positive for EEE in early July.
The surge in mosquitoes testing positive is not expected to reach the level it did last summer, when the state declared a public health emergency and conducted the state's first aerial spraying of mosquitoes in 16 years. Health officials doubt they will be taking to the skies this summer.
Drier weather is keeping down the mosquito population this summer and the number of mosquitoes testing positive for the diseases, according to regional mosquito control boards.
But John Smith, director of the Norfolk County Mosquito Control Project, cautioned: "Don't put your guard down. EEE and West Nile is still out there."
As of Monday, only 15 of the mosquito samples submitted for testing statewide have come up positive for EEE, while 17 tested positive for West Nile. Last year, 157 of the 9,344 mosquito samples submitted for testing came up positive for EEE and 43 for West Nile.
By the beginning of the week, there were no human cases of either disease identified this year. Last year, there were five human cases of EEE, with two fatalities, including a 9-year-old Middleborough boy, who died after collapsing on a football field last August. There also were three human cases of West Nile, but no fatalities.
Local health officials expect more mosquitoes to test positive for the diseases in the coming weeks because health departments and regional mosquito control boards have increased monitoring by setting up more mosquito traps.
And a sudden influx of rain -- brought on by tropical storms or hurricanes -- could dramatically increase the mosquito population by providing the insects with fertile ground for breeding: Plenty of standing water.
In addition to mosquitoes, West Nile has been detected in birds in six communities statewide, including Easton, Foxborough, Mansfield, and Halifax.
So far, Carver appears to be the only community in Southeastern Massachusetts to have banned outside activities on town and school recreational fields at night, according to a Globe survey. Carver hasn't had any mosquitoes test positive for the two diseases this year, but mosquitoes in town have come up positive in past years.
"The community has asked us to be proactive," said Robert Tinkham, Carver's health agent. "And it seems like the best approach to prevent any illness."
But by enacting the nightime ban, Tinkham said, the town has probably upset a few residents.
Some town health agents believe night-time bans on recreational fields go too far, even in communities that have had positive tests this summer. Many other communities merely recommend residents curtail outside activities at night, when mosquitoes tend to bite the most.
"You just have to continue with life," said Scott Leite, health agent for Mansfield, which had a bird test positive this summer for West Nile. "People can make their own decision about whether to stay in or out."
Should folks venture out at night, health officials suggest wearing insect repellent and long-sleeve pants and shirts, even when it's hot. They also recommend keeping yards free of standing water, such as in unused flower pots, wading pools, or rain gutters, while also making sure window screens don't have holes.
James Vaznis can be reached at jvaznis@globe.com. 
