The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said it has identified the first case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in an animal this year.The state’s CDC announced Tuesday that a wild turkey from Burnham tested positive for EEE, the third mosquito-borne virus found in animals or mosquitoes this year.According to the Maine CDC, the state and much of the Northeast have been experiencing an active mosquito-borne disease season.Health officials said this is the earliest in the year that reports of all three mosquito-borne viruses endemic to Maine — EEE, West Nile virus and Jamestown Canyon virus — have been detected in the state. This does mark the second straight year that all three viruses have been detected in Maine.As of Tuesday, the Maine CDC and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife have found and detected West Nile virus in 15 birds, EEE in one bird and Jamestown Canyon virus in four mosquito pools.On Monday, health officials in Bar Harbor and Skowhegan — towns that are approximately 100 miles apart — said they each received a notification from the Maine CDC that a crow from each of their towns had tested positive for West Nile virus.At the end of last month, the Maine CDC announced that six wild birds from multiple counties in the state had tested positive for the West Nile virus. The state health agency said July 31 was the earliest in the year it has found the mosquito-borne virus in birds.The Maine CDC said five of the birds were crows, which were located in Bangor, Bridgton, Fryeburg, Parsonsfield and Sidney. The sixth wild bird that tested positive for West Nile virus was a hawk from Yarmouth. Each of the birds was collected by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as part of routine surveillance.On July 31, the Maine CDC also said it was investigating a West Nile virus case in a Waldo County resident who contracted the virus while traveling outside the state. Maine last recorded a human case of West Nile virus in 2018, according to the state’s CDC.”Mosquitoes are a nuisance, yes, but they can also carry dangerous diseases if an infected bug bites a person or an animal,” Maine CDC Director Puthiery Va said in a statement. “We want Maine people and visitors to be aware of the elevated mosquito activity and take precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones.”The West Nile, EEE and Jamestown Canyon viruses spread through the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot spread from human to human or from human to animal.Many infected people have no symptoms, but some experience fever and flu-like illness. Severe symptoms include encephalitis, brain swelling and meningitis, and inflammation of the spinal cord.The Maine CDC said people can protect themselves from mosquito-borne diseases by taking the following steps:Wear long sleeves and long pants.Use an EPA-approved repellent on the skin and clothes. Always follow the instructions on the label.Take extra precautions at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.Use screens on windows and doors.Drain artificial sources of standing water around the home. This is an ideal habitat for mosquitoes to lay eggs.Take steps to prevent mosquito bites when traveling.People who wish to prevent their pets from contracting mosquito-borne diseases should contact their veterinarian. The Maine CDC said horse owners can protect their animals against the eastern equine encephalitis virus and the West Nile virus through vaccines.The Maine CDC shared the following links for further information on the following topics:Mosquito surveillance reports, including all positive results, are updated weekly at www.maine.gov/dhhs/vectorborne.View answers to frequently asked questions at www.maine.gov/dhhs/mosquitofaq.Learn about repellents at www.maine.gov/dacf/php/gotpests/bugs/mosquito.htm.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said it has identified the first case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in an animal this year.
The state’s CDC announced Tuesday that a wild turkey from Burnham tested positive for EEE, the third mosquito-borne virus found in animals or mosquitoes this year.
According to the Maine CDC, the state and much of the Northeast have been experiencing an active mosquito-borne disease season.
Health officials said this is the earliest in the year that reports of all three mosquito-borne viruses endemic to Maine — EEE, West Nile virus and Jamestown Canyon virus — have been detected in the state. This does mark the second straight year that all three viruses have been detected in Maine.
As of Tuesday, the Maine CDC and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife have found and detected West Nile virus in 15 birds, EEE in one bird and Jamestown Canyon virus in four mosquito pools.
On Monday, health officials in Bar Harbor and Skowhegan — towns that are approximately 100 miles apart — said they each received a notification from the Maine CDC that a crow from each of their towns had tested positive for West Nile virus.
At the end of last month, the Maine CDC announced that six wild birds from multiple counties in the state had tested positive for the West Nile virus. The state health agency said July 31 was the earliest in the year it has found the mosquito-borne virus in birds.
The Maine CDC said five of the birds were crows, which were located in Bangor, Bridgton, Fryeburg, Parsonsfield and Sidney. The sixth wild bird that tested positive for West Nile virus was a hawk from Yarmouth. Each of the birds was collected by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife as part of routine surveillance.
On July 31, the Maine CDC also said it was investigating a West Nile virus case in a Waldo County resident who contracted the virus while traveling outside the state. Maine last recorded a human case of West Nile virus in 2018, according to the state’s CDC.
“Mosquitoes are a nuisance, yes, but they can also carry dangerous diseases if an infected bug bites a person or an animal,” Maine CDC Director Puthiery Va said in a statement. “We want Maine people and visitors to be aware of the elevated mosquito activity and take precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones.”
The West Nile, EEE and Jamestown Canyon viruses spread through the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot spread from human to human or from human to animal.
Many infected people have no symptoms, but some experience fever and flu-like illness. Severe symptoms include encephalitis, brain swelling and meningitis, and inflammation of the spinal cord.
The Maine CDC said people can protect themselves from mosquito-borne diseases by taking the following steps:
- Wear long sleeves and long pants.
- Use an EPA-approved repellent on the skin and clothes. Always follow the instructions on the label.
- Take extra precautions at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
- Use screens on windows and doors.
- Drain artificial sources of standing water around the home. This is an ideal habitat for mosquitoes to lay eggs.
- Take steps to prevent mosquito bites when traveling.
People who wish to prevent their pets from contracting mosquito-borne diseases should contact their veterinarian. The Maine CDC said horse owners can protect their animals against the eastern equine encephalitis virus and the West Nile virus through vaccines.
The Maine CDC shared the following links for further information on the following topics:
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