Two additional human EEE cases diagnosed in Rhode Island
The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) confirmed two additional human cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).
The first person is a child younger than 10 years old who lives in Coventry. The second person is in their 50s from Charlestown.
Tuesday’s announcement by the RIDOH brings the total of EEE cases in Rhode Island to three in 2019.
RIDOH says it’s important to note that although these two additional diagnoses were just released Tuesday, both people have been discharged from the hospital and are recovering.
It is believed that both people contracted EEE in late August, according to RIDOH.
On Sept. 9, the West Warwick resident who was the first to be diagnosed with EEE this year in Rhode Island passed away.
The RIDOH says all three people contracted EEE before areas of critical risk for EEE were aerially sprayed with pesticide between Sept. 8 and Sept. 10.
“This has been a year with significantly elevated EEE activity, and mosquitoes will remain a threat in Rhode Island until our first hard frost, which is still several weeks out,” said RIDOH’s Deputy Director Ana Novais in a statement Tuesday. “Personal mosquito-prevention measures remain everyone’s first defense against EEE. If possible, people should limit their time outdoors at sunrise and sunset. If you are going to be out, long sleeves and pants are very important, as is bug spray.”
Both the Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and RIDOH say they are considering the next steps in Rhode Island’s EEE response.
On top of these human diagnoses, EEE was confirmed in a deer from Exeter this week.
Both agencies say those steps could include additional aerial spraying based on information about human cases, cases in other mammals, mosquito activity, and findings in neighboring states.
On Monday, Connecticut announced it’s first human EEE case this year.
In 2019, Massachusetts has had eight human cases of EEE. One person has died.
The four critical risk areas that were previously sprayed were (1) an area in northern Rhode Island (parts of Burrillville, North Smithfield, and Woonsocket); (2) parts of Westerly, Hopkinton, and Charlestown; (3) all of West Warwick and parts of Coventry, Cranston, Scituate, Warwick, East Greenwich, and West Greenwich; and (4) all of Central Falls, Pawtucket, and North Providence and parts of Providence, East Providence, Smithfield, Lincoln, and Cumberland.
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