First RI Mammal Case Of EEE Found In North Kingstown Deer

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — A deer found disoriented and walking in circles in North Kingstown last week tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis after being euthanized.

The deer is the first mammal to test positive for the mosquito-borne virus this summer.

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management and RI Department of Health said the EEE test from the state laboratory came back positive on Saturday. The positive test in a mammal means there is now an elevated risk of humans contracting the disease in the state.

Officials said 147 mosquito samples from 44 trips set on Aug. 17 tested negative for the disease. A mosquito sample from a Westerly swamp tested positive on earlier this month.

Massachusetts has three confirmed human cases of EEE, 65 positive mosquito samples and 70 positive samples of West Nile virus. There have been no confirmed human cases in Connecticut, but two positive EEE mosquito samples and 82 West Nile virus findings.

While outdoor spaces reduce the likelihood of exposure to COVID-19, they pose a greater risk of exposure to mosquito-borne diseases. For this reason, DEM and RIDOH emphasize that if Rhode Islanders are going to be outside during the peak "biting hours" at dawn and dusk they are urged to also wear face masks, long-sleeved shirts, long pants and use insect repellent with DEET.

Residents are also asked to remove standing water — mosquito breeding grounds — from properties.

This article originally appeared on the North Kingstown Patch