DEM ANNOUNCES THREE ADDITIONAL EEE ISOLATIONS IN TIVERTON

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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:	October 16, 2003
Contact:	Gail Mastrati 222-4700 ext. 2402 Stephanie Powell 222-4700 ext. 4418

DEM ANNOUNCES THREE ADDITIONAL EEE ISOLATIONS IN TIVERTON
However EEE Presumed Likely Throughout Rhode Island, So All Rhode Islanders Should Continue to Avoid Mosquito Bites

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management has announced that three additional isolations of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) have been found in Tiverton, bringing the total number of EEE isolations in Tiverton this year to six.

The new isolations include a horse euthanized on September 29 that had been stabled south of Stafford Pond, a horse euthanized on October 1 that had been stabled north of Stafford Pond, and a mosquito pool, or sample, collected on October 8 just south of Nannaquaket Pond. (Three homing pigeons from the northwest part of town were previously reported as EEE-positive.)

Although the latest isolations of EEE were found in Tiverton, DEM and the Health Department urge that all Rhode Islanders continue to take precautions against mosquito bites until the first hard frost. EEE, historically found in the southern and southeastern parts of the state, has also been found in other areas, and is now presumed likely in all areas of Rhode Island. This year has proven to be a higher than average risk year for EEE in Rhode Island and neighboring states. There have been a number of isolations of EEE in Connecticut this year, including many along the Rhode Island border, as well as in Massachusetts.

DEM and the Health Department are cautioning that residents and visitors statewide step up personal protection from mosquito bites and restrict or curtail outdoor activities during those increasingly infrequent conditions when biting activity is high. These are typically around dawn and dusk at temperatures above 50 degrees.

Mosquito numbers are clearly down, as is mosquito-biting activity. However, there are still infected mosquitoes in the environment and biting activity will increase on warm days.

Although the state is nearing the end of the mosquito season, DEM and Health officials are suggesting that public officials across the state monitor weather conditions and consider, on those few occasions when temperatures are expected to remain above 50 degrees at dusk, that outdoor public assemblies be rescheduled due to higher mosquito biting activity on those occasions.

Biting activity depends on several conditions. It is generally 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.

Protection includes using mosquito repellent, covering up when mosquito biting activity is greatest, particularly from dusk to dawn and when in the woods, placing mosquito netting over playpens and carriages outside, and being sure that screens are in good repair.

To date, in Rhode Island, 13 mosquito pools in five communities have tested positive for EEE and five horses and several birds have died of the disease. Seven mosquito pools in seven communities have tested positive for West Nile Virus, five human cases of the disease have been reported, and DEM has tallied more than 600 West Nile-suspect birds from throughout the state.

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