Mayor Mitchell Sets Curfew for All City-Owned Property Due to EEE

NEW BEDFORD — Effective immediately, there is a city-wide curfew for publicly owned property due to the continuing threat of EEE.

Mayor Jon Mitchell stated today on WBSM's Barry Richard Show that all activities happening on any city-owned property will be subject to a sunset curfew due to the continuing threat of EEE.

"We found a mosquito in the South End that wasn't testing positive for anything but is the type that can carry EEE...we have to take this seriously," Mitchell said. "There's a gentleman in Rochester who had contracted EEE. It's believed that it was from a mosquito and hopefully, he's getting better but he's been in a coma and it certainly speaks to the need to take this seriously."

Mitchell said with that in mind, he is enacting a sunset curfew on city-owned property through September 13.

"What we are going to do is, for the next month, from now through the next four weeks, we are going to ask all organizations not to do any events after sundown," he said. "That is when the experts tell us that the threat really starts to kick in. It's after sundown."

Activities and locations include sports, clubs, parks and other outdoor activities in an effort to keep the community safe.

Here is the release from the City of New Bedford:

NEW BEDFORD — The City of New Bedford’s parks and other open public spaces will close at dusk beginning today, Friday, August 16, in response to the risk of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Multiple positive tests of mosquitoes with EEE in New Bedford and surrounding municipalities have led the state’s Department of Public Health to classify the risk level in Greater New Bedford as ‘critical’ for EEE.

Beginning Friday, August 16, for the next four weeks, until Friday, September 13, park lights will be turned off at dusk (approximately 7:30 p.m.). Athletic leagues and other organizations utilizing the park should not continue their activities beyond dusk, due to the increased risk of EEE. In four weeks, the park closure will be reevaluated and the City will announce its plans from September 13 onward.

Ground spraying for mosquitoes will continue through the summer in the early mornings of Fridays and Tuesdays. The state is also conducting aerial sprayings.

Friday rounds of spraying will target areas including Buttonwood Park, Brooklawn Park, Fort Taber, Hazelwood Park, Riverside Park, Clasky Common Park, Ashley Park, the Poor Farm area, Custom House Square and the downtown area.

Tuesday rounds of spraying will target the far North End of the city, including the areas surrounding the New Bedford Business Park, New Bedford Regional Airport, Sassaquin Pond, and Acushnet Avenue north of Phillips Avenue.

Spraying occurs place between 2:00 am and sunrise on Friday and Tuesday morning, weather permitting.  Residents in the vicinity of the targeted areas may wish to close their windows this evening prior to the spraying.

The same precautionary measures are advised for EEE, West Nile Virus, and the Zika virus.  These include the following:

Avoid Mosquito Bites

• Be Aware of Peak Mosquito Hours – While mosquitoes are out at all hours of the day, their peak biting times are from dusk to dawn. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning. Otherwise, take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing, especially if you work or spend a lot of time outdoors.

• Clothing Can Help Reduce Mosquito Bites. Although it may be difficult to do when it’s hot, wearing long-sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin.

• Apply Insect Repellent when you go outdoors. Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus [p-methane 3, 8-diol (PMD)] according to the instructions on the product label.  DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children.  Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.  Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied to skin.

 Mosquito-Proof Your Home

• Drain Standing Water - Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by either draining or getting rid of items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change water in birdbaths frequently.

• Install or Repair Screens - Some mosquitoes like to come indoors. Keep them outside by having tightly-fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.