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Date: 9/5/2023
HADLEY — The town’s prospects for West Nile Virus exposure has increased, according to state and local officials.
Hadley Health Director Ben Lipham said the Massachusetts Department of Public Health has raised Hadley’s risk status from low to moderate.
“That determination is made by the [state’s] Department of Public Health,” Lipham said. “All of the variables that go into that decision are not provided to the local boards of health, however some of those variables are described and one of those would be the number of positive mosquito samples that they’ve taken not just within that community but the surrounding communities,” he added.
Positive results were identified in mosquitoes found in Hadley and South Hadley in early August.
“A risk level of low in a community it is determined by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health that your infection with West Nile Virus is unlikely, of course they can’t rule it out but it is unlikely,” Lipham said. “When they bump that risk level up to moderate, the statement that they make is that infection with West Nile is likely or has already occurred.”
Lipham said that also means the community is likely to see a case of WNV at some point and with the current risk level there are five things they ask people to do, including monitoring the state and local websites in order to keep current with the present risk levels and advisories.
“What we ask people to do does change with each risk level,” he said.
Community members are advised to repair their screens if they have holes or splits, as well as monitor and clean up any standing water where mosquitoes breed. Repellent, long sleeves and long pants are recommended between dusk and dawn when possible. Mosquito netting should be used on baby carriages and playpens when children are outdoors.
People also can take advantage of alert notifications the town sends out regarding health advisories.
Lipham said the town also keeps in direct and constant contact with state officials so they can be immediately informed of any changes in status or exposure levels.
As far as potential symptoms or indicators of exposure are concerned, Lipham said the medical diagnosis are best left to the medical professionals who can properly identify any actual cases of the virus or any other illness.
Two human cases of WNV have been identified in Massachusetts. In Middlesex County, a man in his 40s has contracted the virus while a woman in her 70s was exposed in another part of the country and tested positive.