Epi Week #37 - 2015 General Statements

West Nile Virus activity continued this week, with 24 new arbovirus-positive mosquito pools, bringing the total for the season to 153. Of the 24, all were from the Culex pipiens/restuans complex. The third human case of WNV was confirmed this past week, a male in his early 40s from Suffolk County who is believed to have contracted the virus locally. EEEv continues to remain undetected. Supplemental trapping by DPH continues to turn up WNV+ mosquito pools in municipalities in central and western Mass. that are not members of mosquito control districts (Chicopee, West Springfield). Weather trends are producing cooler nighttime temperatures, which means the window for adulticide treatment is rapidly closing or in some cases has closed in several Districts/Projects.

Weather

Daytime temperatures have stayed up in the 70s this past week. Though this may have felt cooler, it is above average for late September. While the western half of the state received some rain this past week (an average of 1 inch), the eastern part of the state remained dry except for isolated patches in the southeast. Our weather expert is predicting no significant rain through at least mid-week of Epi Week 39. We have not had a widespread beneficial rain since September 10th. The edges of Bristol, Norfolk, and Worcester County that border RI are now all in a stage of Moderate Drought. El Niño is still disrupting Atlantic tropical activity, with just a single tropical storm (Ida) meandering in the central Atlantic in what should now be the peak of tropical activity.