GRAFTON – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) has announced that West Nile virus has been detected in mosquitoes collected from Grafton, in a trap located on Leland Hill Road.
At this time, no human cases have been detected, and the WNV risk level in Grafton remains Low.
In coordination with the town, Grafton Board of Health and the Central Massachusetts Regional Public Health Alliance (CMRPHA), the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project (CMMCP) has scheduled a truck-mounted pesticide application on Thursday, Aug. 1, after 8:30 p.m. (weather permitting), where the positive WNV insect was found. Aug. 1 is one of the previously scheduled days for the CMMCP to service Grafton.
If conditions prevent spraying on that date, it will be rescheduled to Friday, Aug. 2.
The area to be sprayed will include a stretch of Main Street along the Sutton border.
In addition to Aug. 1, personnel from the CMMCP are tentatively planning to be in Grafton on Aug. 8, 15, 22 and 29 to respond to mosquito-related concerns from City residents. Requests for pesticide spraying in limited areas using truck-mounted equipment may be considered on those dates.
Residents may opt out of having their property sprayed during wide-area pesticide application by following instructions on the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources website: http://mass.gov/…/how-to-request-an-exclusion-or-opt….
To avoid mosquito bites and the diseases they can transmit, residents are encouraged to practice the “5 Ds:”
- DRESS in long sleeves and pants when possible. Cover up during periods of mosquito activity.
- DEET is an effective insect repellent. Always follow the label instructions.
- DAWN & DUSK are mosquitoes’ most active periods.
- DRAIN water from containers weekly. Avoid standing water, such as rain collecting in open bins, buckets, or toys.
Grafton did not have any positive cases of WNV in mosquito samples or humans in 2023. While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection. Most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms, although some may experience fever, flu-like illness, and—in rare cases—more severe illness. The CMRPHA works closely with the MDPH and other agencies on monitoring WNV and other mosquito-borne illnesses. If a case is detected within the city, CMRPHA Nursing staff will follow their regular case management procedure.
More information from MDPH, including all WNV and Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) positive results in the state, can be found at www.mass.gov/dph/mosquito, or by calling the MDPH Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800.
