a rare but deadly disease spread by mosquitoes has nearly a dozen Massachusetts communities on alert prompting some towns to close Parks after dusk restrict outdoor activities and reschedule public events Massachusetts Health officials this month confirmed the state's first human case of the eastern igin and sephtis virus this year right a man in his 80s exposed in Worster County West of Boston 10 communities are now designated at high or critical risk for the virus Health officials said Saturday Plymouth about 40 miles south of Boston closed all public parks and Fields From Dusk until dawn when mosquitoes are most active nearby Oxford banned all outdoor activities on Town property after 6 p.m. we have not seen an outbreak of e for 4 years in Massachusetts Robbie Goldstein the State's Department of Public Health commissioner said in a statement we need to use all our available tools to reduce risk and protect our communities we are asking everyone to do their part Eastern aquine and sephtis is caused by a virus spread through the bite of an infected mosquito according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention it is rare but serious about 30% of people with the virus die and many survivors suffer ongoing neurological problems the virus outbreak in Massachusetts comes as mosquito season has lengthened across the United States the Washington post reported climate change has fueled dzing global temperatures and for more than 2third of the United States increased the number of mosquito days meaning days with an average humidity of at least 42% and temperatures between 50 and 95° the Northeast has warmed faster than the rest of the country and experienced the biggest increase in mosquito days in Massachusetts there have been an average of 14 more mosquito days compared with the period from 19 880 to 2009 scientists warned that longer mosquito Seasons could heighten the risk of outbreaks of diseases carried by the blood sucking insects such as denan malaria Massachusetts Health officials said there will be mosquito spraying between Dusk and Dawn throughout this week in Plymouth and Wester counties to limit the presence of Eastern wine andales Aerials praying will Target Mosquito carrying the E virus while these measures are crucial for reducing transmission risk it's for everyone to stay vigilant and follow personal protection guidelines to safeguard our community Massachusetts Department of agricultural resources commissioner Ashley Randle said in a statement residents are urged to use mosquito repellent drain standing water around their homes wear clothing that covers skin and reschedule outdoor activities to avoid the hours between Dusk and Dawn symptoms of those infected with the virus can include fever headache vomiting diarrhea seizures behavioral changes and drowsiness there are no vaccines to prevent Eastern equine and sephtis nor is there a specific treatment in 2019 there were 12 human cases of the virus in Massachusetts six people died the next year there were five human cases with one death according to the state health agency in a Wednesday mammo Oxford's Town manager Jennifer M Callahan said she has been in touch with the family of the person who was Afflicted with the virus this year and still battling it in the hospital the family explained their loved one with the e was the one person in the family who recounted through the years they never get bit by mosquitoes Callahan said however right before he became symptomatic he shared that he had been recently bitten they want people to be aware this is an extremely serious disease with terrible physical and emotional consequences regardless if the person manages to live Callahan