Eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, concerns are on the rise in Massachusetts, creating safety concerns ahead of the holiday weekend.
The state is now looking to keep communities most at-risk safe by spraying for mosquitos.
The illness is rare but very serious. A 41-year-old New Hampshire man died from EEE this month.
Several towns in Worcester and Plymouth counties will be sprayed Tuesday night to try to prevent the spread of EEE.
In southern Worcester County, that will be done through truck-mounted ground spraying, with the trucks driving through heavily wooded neighborhoods over a period of several nights this week.
Meanwhile, in Plymouth County, there will be aerial spraying from two small aircraft contracted through the state Tuesday night and possibly one other night this week.
Both aerial and ground spraying will be done weather permitting, anytime between dusk and about 4:30 a.m.
Residents living within the spray zones should assume their neighborhood is being sprayed until all spraying is completed, the Department of Public Health said.
This preventative measure is in addition to people being encouraged to use bug spray with DEET, wearing long-sleeved clothing and avoiding being out between dusk and dawn when possible, according to Plymouth's Commissioner of Health and Human Services says, which is when mosquitoes carrying to rare but deadly virus are most active.
"The spraying is one part of the solution, it is not the only solution. It is certainly something that the Department of Public Health thinks is extremely important and is a mechanism to fight against EEE, it is not the only mechanism," said Michelle Bratti, Plymouth Commissioner of Health and Human Services.
Worcester County will have truck-mounted ground spraying for mosquitoes starting Tuesday night in several communities that are deemed critical or high risk, including Dudley, Oxford, Sutton, Douglas and Uxbridge.
Webster and Northbridge were sprayed last week.
EEE is rare but poses a serious threat to infected people of all ages.
