Massachusetts town imposes curfew due to deadly mosquito-borne illness

Aug 26, 2024

Lauren Taylor Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Reporter), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)

Officials in Oxford, Massachusetts, have approved a curfew for its residents because of a rare and deadly mosquito-borne illness. The town is dealing with a disease not seen since 2020, called Eastern equine encephalitis, also known as “EEE.”

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According to the CDC, approximately 30% of people who contract it die and “many survivors have ongoing neurologic problems.”

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The Oxford Board of Health met decided, in the face of protests, to implement a 6 p.m. curfew for the town after a human case of EEE was reported.

Officials say these are strong recommendations and people are not banned from going outside.

Outdoor sports activities prior to dusk have been canceled, and parents are not happy about the decision. They argue that the cancellation will harm children who are involved in sports and the decision should be up to the parents, not health officials.

“We have probably well over 150 people that are here to stand up for their kids to make the parents, you know, have their own decision, make their own decisions,” one parent told WPRI.

Officials say they just want people to stay safe. They plan on implementing the restrictions at 5 p.m. starting Oct. 1.

Tags: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Massachusetts, Mosquitos

Lauren Taylor

OFFICIALS IN ONE MASSACHUSETTS TOWN HAVE APPROVED A CURFEW FOR ITS RESIDENTS — BECAUSE OF A RARE AND DEADLY MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS.

IT’S CALLED EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS — ALSO KNOWN AS “EEE” – AND ACCORDING TO THE CDC – APPROXIMATELY 30% OF PEOPLE WHO CONTRACT IT DIE AND “MANY SURVIVORS HAVE ONGOING NEUROLOGIC PROBLEMS.”

THE OXFORD BOARD OF HEALTH MET LAST WEEK AND DECIDED IN THE FACE OF PROTESTS – TO IMPLEMENT A 6PM CURFEW FOR THE TOWN AFTER A HUMAN CASE OF EEE WAS REPORTED.

OFFICIALS SAY THESE ARE STRONG RECOMMENDATIONS AND PEOPLE ARE NOT BANNED FROM GOING OUTSIDE.

OUTDOOR SPORTS ACTIVITIES PRIOR TO DUSK ARE CANCELED.

PARENTS ARE NOT HAPPY ABOUT THE DECISION – SAYING THIS WILL HARM THEIR CHILDREN WHO ARE INVOLVED IN SPORTS AND THE DECISION SHOULD BE ON THEM – NOT HEALTH OFFICIALS.

(Parent at a health board meeting)

1:06 “WE HAVE PROBABLY WELL OVER 150 PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TO STAND UP FOR THEIR KIDS TO MAKE THE PARENTS, YOU KNOW, HAVE THEIR OWN DECISION, MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.”

Lauren Taylor

OFFICIALS SAY THEY JUST WANT PEOPLE TO STAY SAFE.

THEY PLAN ON IMPLEMENTING THE RESTRICTIONS AT 5PM STARTING OCTOBER 1ST.

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