The Vermont Department of Health has announced that mosquitoes collected in Essex Junction have tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). EEE is a rare but serious disease caused by a virus that spreads through the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people with the EEE virus don’t get sick. But for those who do, they experience a flu-like illness with fever, chills, body aches, and joint pain. The illness can be serious in some people, causing inflammation of the brain, hospitalization, and possibly death.
The Health Department strongly urges people in Essex Junction to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when you’re outdoors.
- Limit your time outside at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are more likely to bite.
- Use insect repellent labeled as effective against mosquitoes.
- Get rid of standing water. Mosquitoes breed in water that has been standing for more than four days.
- Cover strollers and outdoor playpens with mosquito netting.
- Fix holes in screens and make sure they are tightly attached to doors and windows.
Get more information at www.HealthVermont.Gov/mosquito