Massachusetts town imposes LOCKDOWN after sunset as fears grow over incurable mosquito-borne infection

Residents of a Massachusetts town are being urged not to leave their homes after dark due to the spread of a deadly mosquito-borne virus.

The health board in Oxford, a town of 13,300 about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Boston, has imposed a curfew in hopes of reducing the chances of people being bitten by mosquitoes that transmit Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

This came after a resident became the first person in nearly four years to contract the rare and untreatable disease – known as ‘Triple E’ – in his country.

Triple E causes fever and swelling of the brain and can lead to seizures and comas. A third of people infected with EEE die and those who recover are often left with lifelong physical and mental problems.

The curfew, which begins around 8 p.m. in Massachusetts, is a recommendation, not a rule. However, city officials hope it will encourage people to go indoors earlier than peak mosquito hours, reducing their risk of exposure to mosquitoes.

Although not required, the local school district will enforce the curfew. This means that after-school programs and sports activities may be canceled, end early, or moved indoors. Many parents, students, and athletes are struggling with this.

Nearly 1,000 Oxford residents have signed an online petition calling for sports fields to remain open.

Josh Ziemski, vice president of Oxford Webster Football and Cheer, said at Wednesday’s meeting, “Our number one goal is to be heard. Let’s decide. I’m a parent, I coach my son, and yes, if things happen, I can take precautions.”

And two sisters on the cheerleading team fear the curfew will impact their season.

One of them, Aria Fournier in eighth grade, told local CBS: ‘This is my last year as a cheerleader on this team, and it would be a shame if I missed out.’

Her mother, Sarah, added: “The numbers don’t warrant the drastic measures they want to take.”

And Philip Davis, president of the Oxford Little League, said: ‘We believe that parents should be able to make their own decisions, for our children and for their well-being.’

But Director of Public Health Rike Sterrett told attendees: “We do not want to see a new human case of EEE this year.

“One is too many. Even if you survive, there are usually serious health consequences – neurological consequences.”

City officials clarified on Facebook: ‘Tonight the Public Health Board met for the first time to be updated by the Director of Public Health as the City of Oxford, along with three adjacent communities, have been placed in the ‘critical risk’ category for EEE or Eastern Equine Encephalitis.’

‘The Memorandum CLEARLY states that all private Town Leagues may continue to choose to play beyond the recommendations of the DPH and those jointly adopted by all four cities in critical status.

‘Nobody is banning fields for use by private leagues and that has never been said.’

If you want to play outside after the recommended curfew, you should contact the municipality for more information.

Officials have not released the location or identity of the infected man, but have said He is in his 80s, lives in Oxford and was diagnosed with the disease last week.

The EEE risk level has been raised to critical in four cities and to moderate in nine other cities.

A memo According to a report from Oxford City Council, a family member of the infected person, who is in hospital and “bravely fighting this virus,” has contacted authorities several times because “they want people to be aware that this is an extremely serious illness with terrible physical and emotional consequences, regardless of whether the person survives the virus or not.”

“They want residents to take public health recommendations regarding preventive measures against infection with this virus seriously.”

The memo also notes that a horse infected with EEE in neighboring Connecticut died from the virus.

There were 12 human cases of EEE in Massachusetts in 2019, and six people died. In 2020, there were five human cases and one death.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, there were no cases or deaths in 2021-2023.

According to the CDC, EEE symptoms typically begin within four to 10 days after you are bitten by an infected mosquito.

Most people who become infected do not show symptoms, but those who develop severe cases experience fever, chills, muscle aches and joint pain.

In mild cases, recovery takes about one to two weeks, and people likely recover completely if the infection does not affect the central nervous system, the CDC said.

However, people with severe cases may develop meningitis (swelling of the brain and spinal cord) or encephalitis (swelling of the brain).

These symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes, drowsiness, and even coma.

There is no specific treatment for EEE, but doctors provide supportive care to manage symptoms, such as pain relievers and hydrating fluids.

For the approximately 33 percent of people with EEE who die, death typically occurs two to 10 days after the onset of symptoms.

People who survive are left with brain damage and permanent disabilities that require long-term care. They can die within a few years of recovering from the initial infection, the CDC added.

In the U.S., only a handful of cases of EEE are reported each year. These cases usually occur in eastern or Gulf Coast states.

So far in 2024, two additional human cases of EEE have been reported in two other states – Vermont and New Jersey – and all three US patients have developed severe neuroinvasive cases.

In 2019, a record number of 38 cases were reported.

Experts fear that rising temperatures, humidity and rainfall could lead to an increase in the virus.

The virus is only transmitted from mosquito to human (and horse). There is no transmission from human to human or animal to human.

To protect yourself from EEE, a public health law has been established. advisory from the city of Oxford advises wearing long sleeves and trousers, avoiding stagnant water as this can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, using insect repellent and avoiding peak mosquito hours, from dusk to dawn.