West Nile in Burlington: First Mosquito Detected
West Nile Virus has been detected in a mosquito captured in Burlington, says the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH). The mosquito sample was collected on July 24, 2024, and is the first sample from Burlington to test positive for the virus. As of the July 23 Board of Health meeting, only one mosquito in all of Middlesex County had tested positive. No human cases of West Nile Virus have yet been reported by the MDPH in 2024.
Mosquito bites are the most common way West Nile, which can cause fever and flu-like symptoms in infected humans, is transmitted. Most people infected with the virus show no symptoms.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Burlington Board of Health caution people to take precautions against mosquito bites, including:
- Avoid being outside in the evening or early morning during mosquitoes' active hours.
- Cover skin with long sleeves, pants, and socks when outside.
- When outside, apply insect repellent containing DEET, permethrin, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to package directions.
- Be on the lookout for standing water, and dump it where possible, and properly maintain your swimming pool. Water that stands for a week or longer is a prime breeding and development ground for baby mosquitoes.
- Keep mosquitoes outside by ensuring your screens are tight and without holes.
Use these resources to find out more about mosquitoes, mosquito control, or West Nile Virus: MDPH web site | East Middlesex Mosquito Control Project (781-899-5730) | Burlington Board of Health (781-270-1955).
