The press release didn’t clarify where exactly in Middlesex County the woman came into contact with the virus, or when it happened.
Mosquitoes, known to carry the virus and transmit it to humans and animals through bites, started showing positive test results in Massachusetts on June 17. About a month later, a goat in Lunenburg became the first animal this year in the state to test positive for the virus.
In August, the risk level for West Nile virus exposure in Boston was raised to “high” after several mosquito samples tested positive, including those from Hyde Park and West Roxbury.
“West Nile virus can be very serious, and its presence in mosquitoes remains significant throughout Massachusetts,” stated Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein.
Even as the weather cools down, Goldstein mentioned that the prevalence of West Nile virus among local mosquitoes will likely stay elevated for a while.
The release noted that over 300 positive mosquito tests had been recorded across 12 of the 14 counties in the state.
Recently, the risk of contracting West Nile virus has increased in cities like Acton, Bedford, Billerica, Boston, Brookline, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Dracut, Lowell, and Newton.
Last year, Massachusetts reported 19 human cases of the virus.
To minimize risk, residents are advised to use mosquito repellents with EPA-registered ingredients like DEET or oil of lemon eucalyptus, according to the Health Department.
Other important precautions include limiting outdoor activities during dawn and dusk and wearing long sleeves and pants to reduce the chances of getting bitten.
“Dusk to dawn is peak mosquito activity,” the Department of Public Health noted.
Despite the first human case being reported as summer transitions into fall, “mosquitoes will remain active until the first hard frost,” explained state epidemiologist Catherine M. Brown in the release.
