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Staying safe as mosquito-borne illness rears its head in Massachusetts
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
It's going to be a hot one: We're heading into what meteorologists think will be a heatwave (which is three days in a row that hit at least 90 degrees). And there's a real possibility we'll see temps hit 100 degrees tomorrow across Massachusetts, according to meteorologist Danielle Noyes. Mayor Michelle Wu has declared a heat emergency in Boston through tomorrow.
Read more about the potentially record-breaking heat ahead here. But first, it's been a busy weekend for local and global news, so let's get right into what's happening:
Bad bites: Massachusetts public health officials recently found this year's first positive mosquito sample for West Nile virus in Shrewsbury. There have been no human or animal cases yet, but state epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown told WBUR's Dan Guzman that we have seen a trend over the past 10 to 20 years of more cases of mosquito-borne illnesses, as climate change brings increased rainfall and heat.
- Blame it on the rain: Brown said that they detected West Nile about a week earlier than they do most years, but not "crazy early." Remember how it's been raining every weekend for the last few months ? Rain and hot temperatures "definitely support mosquito populations, and actually make the mosquitoes more efficient at spreading virus as well," said Brown.
- But don't panic: Brown says it's too early to determine what the season will look like. Last year, Massachusetts saw 19 human cases of West Nile and four human cases of EEE. " I really don't want people to be panicked. Massachusetts is great in the summer, right? And we want people to be outside," she said. "So it's not about, you know, staying inside forever."
- What to know: "There are relatively simple things you can do to protect yourself," Brown said. She's reminding everyone to use mosquito repellent, wear long sleeves and pants, repair any holes in your window screens, and drain anything that collects rainwater in your yard. "Otherwise, you'll find that mosquitoes use [it] for breeding, and then you're just producing more mosquitoes," Brown said. "We don't need that."
On the global scale: Massachusetts political leaders are reacting to President Trump's decision to attack Iran's nuclear facilities. On Saturday evening, the administration announced it had "obliterated" three nuclear sites in Iran, though experts say the level of damage is yet to be determined. While members of the state's all-Democratic congressional delegation condemned the decision, some GOP political leaders praised Trump's choice.
- What they're saying: Sen. Elizabeth Warren described the strikes as a "horrific war of choice," and called on the Senate to immediately vote to prevent a war. Sen. Ed Markey said he believes the action will not stop Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapon, and called the attack "illegal and unconstitutional" because it was not approved by Congress. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark echoed Markey's sentiment, calling Trump's unilateral decision "unauthorized and unconstitutional."
- The other side of the coin: In a post on X, Massachusetts Republican Party Chair Amy Carnevale commended Trump for "making the tough decision to use military force" in Iran, adding that the country's nuclear program was allowed to flourish "in no small part due to poor deals made under our former Sen. John Kerry," who served as secretary of state during the Obama administration.
- From the State House: Gov. Maura Healey said last night that she had been briefed by the Trump administration on the "heightened threat environment" in the wake of the strikes. "While there are no specific threats to Massachusetts at this time, we are continuing to coordinate with state, local and federal partners to closely monitor the situation," Healey said, adding that her thoughts are with American military members deployed in the Middle East.
Looking for lifeguards: The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation says it has hired most of the lifeguards it needs to staff the state's pools and waterfronts this year. But that doesn't mean it couldn't use a few more. WBUR's Todd Wallack reports that DCR is looking to add 50 more lifeguards to its roster by early July, particularly in metro Boston and northern Massachusetts.
- What to know: Shawn DeRosa, the state's director of pool and waterfront safety, says pay for lifeguards starts at $22 per hour. The state will also pay for lifeguard training for strong swimmers that are ready to take on this responsibility. DeRosa says working as a lifeguard is a "great opportunity to not only serve the public, but earn some good money, make new friends, and maybe save a life." Interested applicants can learn more about training here.
P.S. — A reminder for MBTA riders this week: The nine-day Orange Line shutdown continues between Back Bay and Forest Hills through Friday — and will extend to North Station this weekend. Here's how to get around the closure.
