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DPH: 7th person infected with EEE, 2 more infected with West Nile virus

(FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced on Monday that a seventh person in the state has been diagnosed with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

The seventh patient is a Plymouth County male under the age of 18. He was not hospitalized and is recovering.

>>Mass. Dept. of Public Health

Based on this information, the EEE threat level has been raised to "critical" in Marshfield and to "high" in Scituate.

Health officials have also confirmed two additional human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) in a Boston resident in his 50s who has been hospitalized and a Hampden Country resident in his 50s who was hospitalized, but has since been discharged.

WNV threat levels remained the same despite these findings.

Communities with heightened threat levels are urged to cancel all planned evening outdoor events until the first hard frost.

Of the seven confirmed cases of EEE in the state so far this year, two of those cases resulted in death.

WNV infected mosquitoes have been found in 109 communities from nine counties so far during 2012.

Health officials predict that the state is on track to have the greatest number of WNV-positive mosquito pools since WNV was first seen in Massachusetts in 2000.

Of the 19 human cases of WNV in Massachusetts, one case resulted in death.