By Margo Sullivan
margosullivan@eagletribune.com
September 20, 2008 12:09 am DANVILLE, N.H. — Eastern equine encephalitis has been detected in a mosquito pool in Danville and officials are suggesting schools reschedule athletics and other late-afternoon or early evening outdoor events. Danville health officer Brian Lockard said playing outdoors at dusk will put the children and any spectators at risk. Lockard said people should wear long pants and long sleeves and use insect repellent. "The big thing to emphasize is personal protection, if you are going to be out at dawn and dusk - the times mosquitoes are most active," Lockard said. EEE, which can be fatal, is carried by mosquitoes, which have fed on infected birds. Symptoms resemble an influenza virus infection: a sudden and intense fever, a headache of increasing intensity and muscle aches. No human cases have been reported this year. Last year, three New Hampshire residents contracted EEE, including a Newton man, who recovered at home. In September 2005, Kelly Labell, 20, also of Newton, became the first person in New Hampshire to die of the disease. The same year, six other people became sick with EEE, and a second person died. Jason Stull, a state public health veterinarian, said the Danville mosquito pool and another pool in Brentwood are the first to test positive in New Hampshire this year. The EEE virus has been found in this part of the state in previous years, so the discovery is not at all surprising, officials said. They reminded people mosquitoes will continue to pose threat until the first hard frost, typically in mid-October. "While we are beginning to experience cooler weather and mosquito activity soon will be dropping, there is still a need to take precautions," said Nicholas Toumpas, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. Lockard said the town is holding off on spraying to kill the mosquitoes because of the weather. "It's been very cold at night," he said. "Doing spraying is not that effective." Stratham-based Dragon Mosquito is standing by in case the town changes its mind, he said. Town officials hired the company to kill mosquito larva in Danville this year, but has yet to spray to kill adult mosquitoes yet. Sarah MacGregor, the company president, said she was a little surprised it took this long for a pool to test positive. Because of the rain this summer, more mosquitoes hatched than in past years, and they are hanging on, despite the cold weather The state has published a list of ways to avoid being infected. For more answers to questions about preventing EEE, call the toll free hot line at 1-866-273-6453.
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