ATHOL – As of this writing, four human cases of EEE – eastern equine encephalitis – have been reported in Massachusetts, one of them a man over 60 living in northern neighboring Franklin County. In fact, the risk of EEE in the town of Colrain and Heath have been categorized by the state Department of Public Health as “critical,” with Rowe, Charlemont, and Shelburne listed as ‘high” risk. The risk in all of the communities in the Athol area is listed as “low.”
Athol Health Agent Deborah Vondal told members of the town’s Board of Health Tuesday afternoon that she’s keeping an eye on the progress of the disease.
“I just wanted to give an update because of the all the EEE that’s in the news,” says Vondal. “The Mass. Dept. of Public Health, they do have an arborvirus surveillance program, and so I’m the contact at the beginning of the season. I provide a 24/7 contact number for them.”
“We actually get the alert, which is necessarily a bad thing,” said Vondal. “It’s a weekly report that gives the latest information. So, I’ve just been watching the up-tick in EEE in August.”
“I emailed (Town Manager) Shaun (Suhoski) to let him know that I’m on top of this,” she explained. “I’ve also reached out to Dr. Catherine Brown, who is the Deputy State Epidemiologist and Public Health Veterinarian. Starting, probably when we had the child who contracted EEE back in 2012, that’s when they essentially started doing some mosquito testing out here. And every year I ask given that context.”
Vondal told the board the state DPH has two mosquito traps set up in Athol, but the locations of those traps are kept secret.
“They don’t want anyone tampering with them,” she said. “I did see them once – that was a while ago. That was probably in 2013. So, when we have a mosquito with either West Nile virus or with EEE I’m contacted directly. In fact, last year, the state had problems with Nile virus, and we had a mosquito found here with West Nile virus, and that was in August.”
“I called everyone,” Vondal continued, “and they said it wasn’t an immediate problem. But, eventually, the whole state was put for a moderate risk level. So, this year the concern is EEE. We truly have a demonstrated risk for EEE due to not only the child, but in the past an emu has been infected, along with one other animal. It runs in cycles.”
Vondal said she was contacted directly regarding the case in Franklin County.
“So, when I first hear it’s near our area, I listen carefully to see which towns might be affected and see how close it is,” said Vondal. “So, if we had a mosquito that tested positive for EEE – or a person – I would get a direct phone call and the state would start giving us guidance. Then you put your messaging out.”
“But, we’re still at low level right now,” added Vondal.