RI Records First Case Of EEE This Season

PROVIDENCE, RI — Eastern equine encephalitis has arrived in Rhode Island for the first time this summer.

The RI Department of Environmental Management and RI Department of Health announced the first positive sample of EEE in the state this season came from an Aug. 11 batch captured at Chapman Swamp in Westerly. Mosquitoes were previously found positive in this swamp in 1996, 2003, 2013, 2106 and 2019.

The state said all other 102 samples tested from that date tested negative for both EEE and West Nile virus.

Results from 147 pools collected from 44 traps on Aug. 17 are pending. Massachusetts has had three positive human cases of EEE this season, while Connecticut also had its first mosquito test on Aug. 11 and first human case on Aug. 17.

"Personal protection is the first line of defense against mosquitoes that may carry WNV, EEE, or other diseases — and the most effective way to avoid infection," the RI Department of Environmental Management said in a statement. "With EEE established in Rhode Island and WNV nearby, DEM and RIDOH remind the public to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds and prevent being bitten, whenever possible.

"While outdoor spaces reduce the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19, they pose a greater risk of exposure to mosquito-borne diseases. For this reason, DEM and RIDOH emphasize that if Rhode Islanders are going to be outside during the peak 'biting hours' — at dawn and dusk — to wear your face masks, long sleeves and pants, and use insect repellent. The following precautions are advised."