West Nile Virus Risk Elevated to High in Cambridge

On Tuesday, August 27, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced two additional human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) in Massachusetts. State officials raised several communities in Middlesex and Suffolk Counties, including Cambridge, to high risk for WNV.

WNV is usually transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. While most people do not 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 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.

Health officials urge residents to avoid mosquito bites to reduce their risk of WNV by taking the following measures:

• Apply insect repellent when outdoors. 

• Be aware of peak mosquito hours (dusk to dawn).  

• Wear long sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors to keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

•  Mosquito-proof your home by draining standing water and using tight-fitting screens in windows and doors.

More information about mosquito-borne illnesses can be found on the MA Department of Public Health’s website, which is updated daily.