RelatedEEE, West Nile Virus still being detected in R.I. mosquito samples as cooler weather sets in
There remains only one recorded case of Eastern equine encephalitis, the rare but potentially deadly disease known as EEE, first reported last month.
"RIDOH and DEM are reminding the public that it is a particularly active mosquito season in Southern New England and that recent cases of both EEE virus and WNV and previous mosquito testing indicate a high risk level statewide," officials said.
According to the two departments, most people who become infected with West Nile Virus do not feel sick, although one in five people with the illness develops a fever and other symptoms. About one in 150 infected people develop a "sometimes fatal" case, officials said. There are no medications or vaccine for treating the virus.
While less common than West Nile Virus, EEE presents a higher health risk, as about 30 percent of people who contract it die, and "many survivors have ongoing neurological problems," the statement said.
Officials are still urging the public to take precautions by preventing mosquito bites through using an EPA-approved insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved clothing. People in Rhode Island should also limit exposure to mosquitoes by restricting time spent outdoors during early morning and evening hours, when mosquitoes are most active.
As fall continues on, the risk of mosquito illnesses is expected to taper off.
Adult mosquitoes are not killed until a hard frost sets in -- a period of three consecutive hours below 32 degrees, officials have said.
Mosquitoes become "less active" at temperatures below 58 degrees and "largely inactive" when temperatures fall below 50 degrees, according to officials.
Cases of EEE have been reported throughout New England in recent months, including four cases in Massachusetts.
In New Hampshire, public health officials this week confirmed a person who contracted EEE in August later died -- the state's second fatal case from the illness this year.