Risk levels for West Nile Virus in Cambridge and Somerville were raised to “moderate” on Thursday by the state, along with Boston, Newton and Brookline.
Testing has detected the virus in mosquitoes collected June 16 and June 21 in Somerville, said the city’s Health and Human Services department on Monday, while last week, Cambridge reported mosquito samples collected in Boston and Newton as testing positive for West Nile. There have been no animal or human cases of the virus reported in the state, health officials said in an email.
“Only a small number of mosquitoes are infected at any given time, so being bitten by a mosquito does not mean you will get sick,” the officials said.
Residents can avoid bites by using insect repellent when going outdoors; wearing long sleeves, long pants and socks; and scheduling outdoor activities to avoid the hours from dusk to dawn.
At home, drain standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs – check rain gutters and drains, empty unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change the water in birdbaths frequently – and install tightly fitting window and door screens or repair damaged screens to help keep mosquitoes outside.
West Nile might cause some infected people fever, diarrhea, joint pain and headache and long-term fatigue, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is possible to “develop severe illness, which can affect the central nervous system or illness that results in hospitalization or death.” People over the age of 50 are at higher risk for severe infection.
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