Air campaign ends spraying for EEE

State officials have completed the last of three nights of aerial fumigation over 425,000 acres in Southeastern Massachusetts in the battle against Eastern equine encephalitis.

Two planes sprayed the final 75,000 acres Thursday night, including Braintree, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Plymouth, and Weymouth. State agriculture and health officials said the spraying was a success, though mosquito mortality rates won't be available until next week, said Donna Rheaume, spokeswoman for the Department of Public Health.

One plane on the first night of spraying Tuesday covered 150,000 acres in the southwest portion of the targeted area, and three planes Wednesday night sprayed 200,000 acres. No decisions have been made about any possible future sprayings, Rheaume said.

The potentially deadly EEE virus has been found in an unprecedented number of mosquitoes this summer, prompting state health and agriculture officials two weeks ago to order the state's first aerial fumigations in 16 years. This week's spraying was the second round this summer in the Health Department's effort against mosquito-borne diseases .

Two human cases of Eastern equine encephalitis have been confirmed this summer. Derek Ashworth, 23, of Acushnet, was released yesterday afternoon from Boston Medical Center. Sheila Clark, 52, of Lakeville, remained in critical condition yesterday at Massachusetts General Hospital.

YUXING ZHENG