The State Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has temporarily closed all of the state-owned recreational sites near Glocester, RI, where it considers the risk of two mosquito-borne illnesses to be high. Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEE) has been circulating in the area since late August, and West Nile Virus is present too. No human has tested positive for EEE so far this year, but scientists have identified mosquitoes who carry it and can bite humans. According to DEM, people who contract EEE die 30% of the time, and are likely to end up with long term negative effects. No human cases have been identified this year in Rhode Island, but EEE was found in a Glocester donkey earlier this month, and has since been euthanized.
EEE has also been found in higher numbers in Massachusetts and in Connecticut mosquitoes this year, although the state has not identified any mammalian cases. In Rhode Island, the DEM has identified 5 mosquitoes carrying the disease. All mosquitoes with the disease were found in Glocester but the DEM is considering the whole state to be a high-risk zone.
The parks near Glocester that have been closed are: George Washington State Campground, including the Bowdish State Boat Ramp; George Washington Management Area; Pulaski State Park and Recreational Area; and Durfee Hill Management Area.
Rhode Island scientists identify disease in a given area by trapping and testing mosquitoes. Al Gettman is an entomologist for the state of Rhode Island. His official job title is mosquito abatement coordinator, which means he’s in charge of this trapping program. Every Monday during mosquito season, which runs from June to October, he and a group of student workers who he oversees set and collect the traps.
“Then we pick them up Tuesday mornings, and samples are identified in the laboratory. And then we deliver our samples to our state health department laboratory, where those folks grind them up and go through their process to determine if samples are infected with West Nile virus, or Eastern encephalitis,” he said.
This week, everything was pushed back by a day because of Monday’s floods. Though mosquitoes are attracted to standing water, they dislike active rain. So on Wednesday, The Public’s Radio headed to Waterman Dog Park in Providence to meet up with Sasha Avampato, an education major at the University of Rhode Island. She sets and collects traps in Cranston, Pawtucket, Providence and Central Falls. At the dog park, she stepped out of a state-owned SUV with a mosquito sticker emblazoned on the driver’s side and walked over to the trap to look inside.
“There’s not that many. Last week, there were a lot more. Generally, when it’s like raining, we get less,” she said.
Mosquitoes can smell humans when we breathe out, so to seduce the mosquitoes, the traps emit Co2.
“It mimics mammalian or human activity. The mosquitoes go towards the Co2, and they get sucked down by the fan,” Avompato said.
Avompato says she typically finds fewer mosquitoes in the urban areas than her colleagues do in the more rural parts of the state. And, EEE hasn’t been identified yet outside of the Glocester area. But she still takes precautions when she goes out trapping and collecting.
“I’m not particularly worried when I’m out doing this. I also do wear bug spray to try to minimize that because who wants to be bit? Like, even if you don’t get a disease, that just sucks,” she said.
The DEM also advises people to take precautions like wearing longer pants and spraying themselves with DEET.
EEE is not the only disease the state is looking for, or has found. West Nile Virus has also been identified. Although less harmful than EEE, according to the Centers for Disease Control, a person with West Nile Virus can still exhibit some pretty serious symptoms. CDC says “fatigue and weakness can last for weeks or months.” West Nile Virus is also a lot more common in the state of Rhode Island, and, unlike EEE, it occurs every year, and has since 2000.
Scientists don’t know exactly what environmental circumstances allow EEE to thrive in some years but not others. But one thing’s for sure: This year, there’s a lot of it.
“All those species are always here, every summer in our area. What’s uncommon is the apparent higher amount of the virus out there,” Gettman said.
Scientists also agree that in general, mosquitoes like hot, humid days. Last year, Providence had 19 more days favorable to mosquitoes than in 1979. And it was not an anomaly– numbers are trending upwards.
“As spring and fall temperatures warm, because of climate change. Mosquitoes can emerge earlier and survive later into the year. More mosquito days means more chances for mosquitoes to bite people and potentially transmit diseases. Obviously, that’s not a good thing,” said Mike Healey, the spokesperson for the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
Although mosquito activity has already decreased with the recent cooler weather around the state, some mosquitoes can live through the winter, and milder winter conditions also mean more mosquitoes and the diseases they carry are likely to survive into the next season.
Metro reporter Olivia Ebertz can be reached at olivia@thepublicsradio.org. Follow her on Twitter/X @OliviaEbertz.
