the town of Plymouth Massachusetts has decided to close its parks and recreational Fields during the evening hours due to an increased threat of Eastern equine and sephtis or ee a rare but potentially deadly virus transmitted by mosquitoes this precautionary measure follows the identification of ee in a horse within the town which elevated the local risk level to high ee is a severe illness that can cause fatal neurological complications with a mortality rate ranging from 33% % to 70% the disease is contracted through mosquito bites and while it is uncommon it is extremely dangerous the recent announcement comes after Massachusetts recorded its first human case of ee this year a man in his 80s from Worcester County this incident LED State Health officials to raise the risk level in several nearby areas in response the Massachusetts Department of agricultural resources has initiated aerial and truck-mounted mosquito spraying in Plymouth and Worcester counties to mitigate the risk in addition to EE multiple communities including Boston have been placed on high alert for West Nile Virus another mosquito born illness this concern was highlighted when Dr Anthony fouchy the former director of the National Institute of allergy and infectious diseases was hospitalized with West Nile Virus though he is now recovering at home these recent developments highlight the importance of ongoing mosquito control efforts and the need for residents in affected areas to take protective measures against mosquito bites