FOUR ADDITIONAL MOSQUITO POOLS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY TEST POSITIVE FOR EEE OR WEST NILE VIRUS

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News Release
RI Department of Environmental Management
235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908
(401) 222-2771 TDD/(401) 222-4462

For Release:	September 26, 2003
Contact:	Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402 Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

FOUR ADDITIONAL MOSQUITO POOLS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY TEST POSITIVE FOR EEE OR WEST NILE VIRUS
Health, DEM, Recommend Additional Precautions Due to Increased Health Risk

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management today received test results showing that three additional mosquito pools from Westerly and South Kingstown have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and one mosquito pool from South Kingstown has tested positive for West Nile Virus.

All four were of the species Culex pipiens, which primarily bite birds but sometimes bite humans and other mammals. All were collected from traps set on September 17.

The positive results are additional confirmation of mosquito-borne disease in the environment, and, particularly when combined with previous findings of EEE-positive mosquito pools in the southern part of Rhode Island, as well as in Connecticut and Massachusetts, indicate a higher than average risk year for EEE. By this time in the season, risk of infection is at peak, although biting activity is beginning to decline with the onset of cooler weather. All residents and visitors to Washington County should step up personal protection from mosquito bites and consider restricting or curtailing outdoor activities when biting activity is high.

Because of the heightened health risk Health and DEM officials are recommending that outdoor public assemblies in Washington County that occur at times of high mosquito biting activity be rescheduled, relocated, or, if necessary, cancelled.

Biting activity depends on several conditions. It generally is greatest at dawn and dusk. During the day it decreases in sunny areas at lower temperatures and increases in shady areas at higher temperatures. Biting activity also generally increases with high humidity and with low wind.

In Westerly, the new EEE-positive mosquito pools reported today were collected from one trap in the downtown area and from one trap in the area of Chapman Swamp. In South Kingstown, an EEE-positive mosquito pool was collected from a trap in the Perryville area, at the site of an earlier EEE-positive mosquito pool, and a West Nile Virus-positive mosquito pool was collected from a trap in the Matunuck area.

Although Washington County is showing higher than usual numbers of EEE-positive mosquito pools, and people in that area of the state should take extra precautions, it is important for all Rhode Islanders to continue to protect themselves against mosquito bites, since mosquito-borne disease, particularly West Nile Virus, is prevalent throughout the state. People should routinely use mosquito repellent, and cover up when mosquito biting activity is greatest, particularly from dusk to dawn, place mosquito netting over playpens and carriages outside, and be sure that screens are in good repair.

To date, in Rhode Island, eight mosquito pools in two communities have tested positive for EEE, and two horses and one emu have died of the disease. Four mosquito pools in four communities have tested positive for West Nile Virus, the Department of Health has reported two human cases of the disease, and DEM has tallied more than 600 West-Nile-suspect birds from throughout the state.

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