The first human case of the West Nile virus this year was also announced by the health department. The patient, a Chittenden County resident in his 80s, was released from the hospital in August.
In response to a horse in Addison County testing positive for eastern equine encephalitis, the Vermont Department of Health is advising individuals to limit their contact with mosquitoes, the department announced in a press release on Monday morning.
Salisbury was placed on the list of communities at high risk for eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, as a result of the case.
The department reports that Alburgh, Burlington, Colchester, Salisbury, Sudbury, Swanton, and Whiting are now on this list. According to the announcement, health officials in those communities “strongly recommend limiting evening outdoor activities until the first hard frost in their area.”
The first human case of the West Nile virus this year was also announced by the health department. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention verified test results on September 25. The Chittenden County individual, who is in their 80s, was admitted to the hospital before being released in August.
According to the agency, West Nile virus illness is less severe than EEE, and the majority of persons do not experience any symptoms. Others might get rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, and body aches.
Health officials advise Vermonters to take preventative measures. These include wearing loose-fitting, long-sleeve shirts and pants outdoors, removing standing water near homes, mending holes in screens, and using EPA-registered mosquito repellent.
According to the CDC, EEE is an uncommon and dangerous disease that is spread by mosquitoes and that kills roughly 30% of those who experience severe symptoms. Most infected individuals have no symptoms. Those who do may have headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, convulsions, altered behavior, and sleepiness. While there are immunizations available for certain species, such as horses, there are no therapies or vaccines for EEE or West Nile in humans.
The release states that the unvaccinated Addison County horse has passed away. A representative for the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets, Scott Waterman, declined to say if the horse was put down or died of illness.
To ensure that animals are appropriately vaccinated against EEE, West Nile, and other diseases conveyed by infected mosquitoes or ticks, officials advise horse owners to speak with their vets. Horses cannot spread EEE or West Nile viruses to humans or other horses.
The virus infected a man in Chittenden County and killed a resident of New Hampshire in August. The health agency advised residents of Alburgh, Burlington, Colchester, and Swanton to limit their time outdoors between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. after more mosquitoes tested positive for the disease.
On September 23, health department representatives then said that no new mosquitoes had tested positive for the virus during their most recent testing, which had taken place between September 8 and September 14. They still encouraged caution, noting that EEE continues to circulate at low rates among birds, from which mosquitoes transmit the virus.
This season, the agency screened 3,863 groups of mosquitoes; 82 groups tested positive for EEE, and 63 tested positive for West Nile virus. According to the department, anyone experiencing either condition is advised to contact their healthcare physician.
