Mosquito-Borne Encephalitis Threat Forces Nighttime Park Closures in Massachusetts
Courtesy - CNN A town in Massachusetts has taken the precaution of closing its parks and recreational areas at night due to an increased threat from a potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus, according to local officials. The town of Plymouth, situated roughly 40 miles southeast of Boston, announced these closures on Friday as the risk from the rare but dangerous Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus escalated. This decision was made following a rise in the town's EEE risk level to high, after a recent infection was confirmed in a horse, officials explained in a press release. EEE is transmitted to humans via mosquito bites and carries a fatality rate of between 33% and 70%. Most deaths occur within two to ten days after symptoms begin, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. "The recent diagnosis of EEE in a horse in Plymouth has elevated the town's risk level to high," the town said in the statement. On August 16, the state confirmed its firs...