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Hopkinton Health Department: Mosquito Control Update

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On Friday, August 16, 2019, a human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) was confirmed in a young adult resident of Grafton, Massachusetts. This was the second case of EEE in Massachusetts in 2019. In response, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MADPH) raised the EEE risk rating in Hopkinton and 11 surrounding communities to Critical, and the Town of Hopkinton quickly issued a Press Release and a Code Red general notice that same day, with information about EEE and what the increased risk rating meant. With the Critical Risk designation, the MADPH Strongly Recommends that all outdoor activities from dusk to dawn be canceled or rescheduled to reduce human exposure to mosquitoes during their peak times of activity. To further reduce risk, residents are urged to utilize insect repellent, wear protective clothing, eliminate potential breeding areas around the yard and repair screens where damaged.

To further reduce the risk of exposure, the Hopkinton Health Department is coordinating the localized ground spraying of high risk areas through our partner, the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project. Residents can request yard spraying of their property at (508) 393-3055. Please note that spraying does NOT eliminate the risk. Personal protective measures must also be taken.

To compliment the ground spraying, the MADPH, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) are coordinating aerial spraying of the region. The aerial spraying of the region is scheduled to start on Sunday, August 25th and consecutive days, weather permitting. The Hopkinton Health Department will share more precise scheduling information through a news update on our homepage at www.hopkintonma.gov as well as through social media posts at https://twitter.com/HopkintonMA and https://www.facebook.com/hopkintonma.gov

Please visit the DPH website at www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito for more information on mosquitos and EEE. For additional questions about aerial spraying, please contact MDAR Crop and Pest Services at (617) 626-1700. For updated info on EEE risk and aerial spraying, contact the DPH Division of Epidemiology (617) 983-6800.

As always, please feel free to contact the Hopkinton Health Department at (508) 497-9725.