Rare deadly mosquito-borne disease appears in the US

(Patria) - A rare but deadly mosquito-borne disease has forced one town in the US state of Massachusetts to close its parks and sports fields every evening, and four more towns are urging people to avoid being outdoors at night, AP reports.

The towns are concerned about Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and state health officials announced last week that a man in his 80s had contracted the disease, the first human case in Massachusetts since 2020.

The town of Plymouth, about 65 kilometers southeast of Boston, announced on Friday that it would close public outdoor recreational facilities during the evening and night after a horse in the town was infected with the disease.

Meanwhile, state health officials have warned that a group of four towns south of Worcester - Douglas, Oxford, Sutton, and Webster are at "critical risk" after a man from Oxford contracted the virus.

State and local health officials have advised people in these towns to avoid outdoor activities during peak mosquito biting times, and to finish activities by 6:30 PM until September 30, and then by 5 PM thereafter, until the first hard frost.