MIDDLEBORO — Due to growing concerns about waste electrical and electronic equipment, the state will conduct aerial spraying to kill mosquitoes in parts of Plymouth County this week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced in a written statement Saturday.
The State Reclamation and Mosquito Control Board (SRMCB), with assistance from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR), will conduct aerial mosquito control and monitoring efforts in parts of Plymouth County this week to combat the rare but extremely dangerous Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus.
The announcement comes after the DPH raised the risk from electrical and electronic equipment to high or critical levels in ten Massachusetts communities, including three towns in Plymouth County.
The first human case of electrical and electronic equipment this year
On August 16, the DPH announced the first human case of EEE virus infection this year, a man in his 80s who was exposed to the disease in Worcester County.
“Due to the increased risk of EEE and the first human case of the season, the state is taking decisive action to protect public health,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “Aerial spraying targets mosquitoes that transmit the EEE virus. While these measures are critical to reducing the risk of transmission, it is critical for everyone to remain vigilant and follow personal protection guidelines to keep our community safe.”
Here’s everything residents should know about this week’s spraying efforts.
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Which cities are sprayed against mosquitoes?
Carver, Halifax, Kingston, Middleboro, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester and Wareham are part of the aerial spray zone the week of August 26.
When is the injection given?
Spraying is scheduled to take place during the week of August 26, beginning after dark and ending early in the morning.
Which pesticide is used?
According to DPH, the pesticide used in aerial application to control mosquitoes is Anvil 10+10. Anvil 10+10 contains two active ingredients: sumithrin and piperonyl butoxide (PBO), which have been shown to be extremely effective in killing mosquitoes.
Sumithrin kills insects that come into direct contact with it, and PBO serves to increase the effectiveness of sumithrin in killing mosquitoes, the DPH wrote.
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Do residents need to take precautions when spraying?
According to DPH, Anvil 10+10 is applied using an ultra-low volume (ULV) aerosol, which uses very small amounts of the insecticide, so it is unlikely that residents will be exposed to amounts that could cause adverse health effects.
Special precautions are unnecessary, they wrote. However, the DPH recommends that residents who are sensitive to chemicals or have respiratory illnesses stay indoors during spraying.
What is EEE?
According to DPH, Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE) is a rare but serious disease caused by a virus that is generally transmitted to humans through mosquito bites.
The first symptoms of EEE appear about three to ten days after infection and may include high fever, stiff neck, headache, and lack of energy, after which the illness rapidly worsens.
About half of people diagnosed with EEE have died from the infection, and survivors are often left permanently disabled.
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In Massachusetts, electrical and electronic equipment outbreaks typically occur every 10 to 20 years and last two to three years.
Of the 43 EEE cases recorded in Massachusetts between 2000 and 2023, 22 were fatal, according to DPH data. In the last EEE outbreak in Massachusetts from 2019 to 2020, seven of 17 infected people died.
There is no treatment for the disease.
How likely am I to get sick from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) in southeastern Massachusetts?
Although electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) transmission is still rare, Southeast Massachusetts remains the region with the highest EEE transmission in the state, according to the DPH.
Since the virus was first identified in Massachusetts in 1938, there have been 115 cases of EEE, most of them in Bristol, Plymouth and Norfolk counties.
What is the current risk level for electrical and electronic equipment in my city or municipality?
The DPH has raised the risk from electrical and electronic equipment to high levels in three Plymouth County communities: Carver, Middleboro and Plymouth.
In Berkeley, Bridgewater, Halifax, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, Plymouth, Raynham, Rochester, Taunton and Wareham the risk level was raised to moderate.
Routine mosquito testing in July and August found that mosquitoes carrying EEE were found in Abington, Carver, Halifax, Kingston, Marion, Middleboro, Plymouth, Raynham, Taunton, Wareham and Whitman.
