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Second human case of mosquito-borne EEE detected in Massachusetts woman in her 30s

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Second human case of mosquito-borne EEE detected in Massachusetts woman in her 30s


BOSTON – A second human case of the mosquito-borne Eastern equine encephalitis was confirmed in Massachusetts on Thursday, just days after the death of a New Hampshire man was announced.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said a woman in her 30s was exposed in the area of Plymouth County. It’s unclear if she lived in Plymouth County. The area was aerial sprayed for mosquitos Tuesday night but the woman became infected before the spraying. The state’s second EEE case in a horse was also confirmed in the same area.

In Plymouth County, EEE-positive mosquito samples were found in Abington, Carver, Halifax, Kingston, Marion, Middleboro, Plymouth, Rochester, Wareham and Whitman.

The first human case in Massachusetts this year was a man in his 80s exposed in southern Worcester County. A horse also died in Middleboro this week.

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EEE has been largely absent from Massachusetts in recent years, with the last human case in 2020.

EEE death in New Hampshire

A 41-year-old man in New Hampshire died of EEE recently. Family said 41-year-old Steven Perry was healthy and active with no underlying conditions. He was then hospitalized with brain damage from EEE and died within a week.

The last known human case of EEE in New Hampshire was in 2014, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. That year, three people were infected and two died.

Massachusetts towns taking action

Due to concerns over EEE exposure, towns in Massachusetts are now spraying for mosquitos. In Plymouth, high school football games will be played in the afternoon as a precaution, as outdoor fields are being closed from dusk to dawn. Playgrounds and other parks are also being closed at dusk.

In Oxford, a recommended curfew was established. The curfew goes into effect after 6 p.m. on town properties.

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How to protect yourself from EEE

EEE is rare but can be deadly in people of all ages and is generally spread to humans through a bite from an infected mosquito.

“EEE risk does not end on Labor Day,” said Massachusetts state epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown in a statement. “We continue to strongly advise that individuals in areas where EEE risk is at high and critical levels reschedule evening outdoor events to avoid peak mosquito biting hours.”

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health said the best way to protect yourself from EEE is to use insect repellent with DEET as an ingredient, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants and avoid going outdoors between dusk and dawn, which is peak biting time for mosquitos. Residents are also advised to drain standing water from rain gutters, wading pools or flowerpots, as mosquitos lay their eggs in standing water.

“The chance is out there, so you have to be careful, you need to be cognizant of it,” said Plymouth resident Dave Kindy. “You need to wear long clothing, you need to put on the spray, from dusk to dawn you need to be able to stay out and that’s just reality. You do what you have to do, otherwise you may end up paying the price.”

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‘No way to leave’: Mass. families stuck in Middle East amid war in Iran

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‘No way to leave’: Mass. families stuck in Middle East amid war in Iran


Massachusetts families are stuck in the Middle East amid the war in Iran, and Democratic Sen. Ed Markey says the State Department needs to do more to get them home.

The Trump administration is telling Americans to leave the region, and families would love to, but they haven’t been able to get out.

Stacey Schuhwerk of Hingham has been sheltering in place in a Doha hotel since Saturday.

“We hear the missiles outside,” she said. “We can see them.”

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The Hingham mother and her son are among nearly 1,600 Americans trapped in the Middle East with no way to get home.

“Airspace is shut down. There’s no planes,” said Schuhwerk. “There’s no way to leave.”

Flights between Boston and the Middle East are canceled or delayed as travelers express anxiety over the conflict.

At first, U.S. officials told people to shelter in place and register with the State Department — something Schuhwerk did days ago.

“There’s no help there. The last time we called was 20 minutes ago, and they continue to say that ‘We don’t know anything about any plans for government help to get people out,’” she said.

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Embassies and consulates across the region — including the U.S. Embassy in Israel — have now suspended services, saying they simply can’t get Americans out.

“They did not have a plan to conduct this war, and they clearly did not have a plan as to how to evacuate innocent families,” Markey said.

The senator says his office is hearing from Massachusetts families, and he’s pressuring the Trump administration to come up with an evacuation plan fast.

“We are going to apply that pressure on the State Department until every American who wants to leave that region is out,” he said.

Back in Doha, Schuhwerk keeps watching the war outside her window.

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“The talk here is ‘How much defensive ammunition’s left?’ Good question, you know, because the missiles aren’t stopping,” she said. “So how long are we going to be safe here?”

With no clear end to this conflict, she’s worried she could be stuck there for weeks.



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Snow, ice, rain to impact roads in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

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Snow, ice, rain to impact roads in Massachusetts – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


Happy Tuesday! While today started off dry, we’re already looking at snow out there across the area. While this event will primarily stay as rain on the Cape and islands, it will be an icy mix of snow, ice and rain for the rest of us.

The rain/snow line will continue to advance from the south to the north as the evening progresses. Before the changeover, there will be a quick coating to 2 inches for most of our area.

The threshold between the snow and rain will feature sleet and freezing rain, leading to that icing.

For the rest of the night, there will primarily be rain with continued pockets of freezing rain, leading to increasing spotty ice accretion. Be extremely careful on roads, especially since switching between rain and freezing rain can wash off any road salt.

The rain and freezing rain will exit by 6 a.m. Wednesday, but temperatures will still be close to freezing during the morning commute, so watch out for some spotty black ice.

The rest of Wednesday will be really nice! Highs will warm up to the mid 50s with the help of ample sun.

Thursday we start off in the mid 20s and top off in the mid 40s. We’ll be partly sunny with another chance for some wintry weather Thursday night. This primarily looks like some rain and freezing rain, rather than the triple threat with snow too. We’ll keep an eye on that for you.

That will continue into Friday morning. The rest of Friday: cloudy with a chance for a spot shower and highs cooler again in the upper 30s. Saturday will be dry, breezy and cloudy but gorgeous near 50 degrees! There’s a chance for some rain showers Saturday night. Don’t forget to set your clocks forward an hour before you to go bed!

Sunday we start the day mild in the 40s and make it all the way into the upper 50s with more sun. Monday and Tuesday both look bright and in the 60s! Stay tuned.

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Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks

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Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks




Massachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks – CBS Boston

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Poya Sohrabi hasn’t heard from his family since they took shelter from attacks in Tehran. WBZ-TV’s Mike Sullivan reports.

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