2 New Human West Nile Virus Cases; Brookline, Newton Added To High-Risk List

NEWTON, MA — Nine Greater Boston cities and towns — including Brookline and Newton — were added to the state Department of Public Health "high-risk" list for West Nile virus on Tuesday after two new human cases of the disease were diagnosed.

Officials said the cases were both in men in their 60s with one case in Suffolk County and one in Norfolk County. There are now four confirmed cases of WNV in Massachusetts this summer.

Cambridge, Everett, Medford, Newton, Somerville, Watertown, Brookline, Milton and Quincy join Boston, Worcester and several communities in Plymouth considered at high risk for the disease.

"We are currently in the peak time for West Nile virus activity in Massachusetts, which will continue into September. As the amount of disease in mosquitoes increases, so do the chances for human infection," said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. "It is important that people throughout the state continue to take steps to avoid mosquito bites.

"The risk of West Nile virus in Massachusetts will not go away until the first hard frost."

The first WNV human case announced this year was exposed in Hampden County; the second case was exposed in Middlesex County. No animal cases of WNV have been detected so far this year.

WNV-positive mosquito samples have been found in all Massachusetts counties this summer with 262 total.

"At least 32 other states have also reported human cases of WNV this year," said state Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine M. Brown. "While not everyone will get sick from WNV, people over the age of 60 and those with certain chronic medical conditions are more likely to develop severe illness. We encourage everyone to take steps to prevent mosquito bites for yourself and your loved ones."

Residents are advised to limit outdoor activity during the hours of dusk and down when mosquitos are most prevalent, wear long-sleeved clothing and long pants during those hours and in wooden areas and to eliminate sources of mosquito breeding such as standing water pools from properties, as well as wear insect repellent that includes DEET or lemon eucalyptus.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)