A woman in her 50s has been treated and released from the hospital after becoming the first Boston resident this year confirmed to have West Nile virus.
The woman, who lives in Beacon Hill, had been traveling just before she became ill, so it was not clear where she was infected, a statement from the Boston Public Health Commission said. The state has listed Boston’s risk level for mosquito-borne illnesses, including West Nile and Eastern equine encephalitis, as high.
â€Å"People often think that since Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer, there’s no need to worry about mosquitoes until next year, but that’s not the reality,†said Dr. Anita Barry, director of the city’s Infectious Disease Bureau. â€Å"Temperatures are still warm, and that means that mosquitoes will continue to be an issue until the first hard frost.â€Â
Mosquitoes infected with West Nile virus have been found in Dorchester, Hyde Park, West Roxbury, Roslindale, East Boston, and Jamaica Plain.
The state has confirmed nine other human cases of West Nile disease, which is most serious in older people. EEE can be more dangerous. State officials said Thursday that a Metrowest man in his 70s died last month of that virus, which can cause swelling of the brain.
City officials urged people to repair screens on windows and doors, remove standing water from around their homes, and wear protective clothing and insect repellant when outside. Suffolk County Mosquito Control and city officials have spread larvicide in catch basins to control the mosquito population. For more information, visit the city and state public health websites.
Chelsea Conaboy can be reached at cconaboy@boston.com. Follow her on Twitter @cconaboy.
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