A rare but deadly mosquito virus infection has Massachusetts towns urging vigilance
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Associated Press
A rare but deadly disease spread by mosquitoes has one town in Massachusetts closing its parks and fields each evening. Four others are urging people to avoid going outdoors at night. They’re concerned about eastern equine encephalitis. State health officials say a man in his 80s caught the virus, the first human case found in Massachusetts since 2020. There are no vaccines or treatment for this disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that although rare, eastern equine encephalitis is very serious. It kills about 30% of the people who get infected, and many survivors have ongoing neurologic problems.