Massachusetts Arbovirus Survalliance Data 2014-19

Context

In the United States, an average of seven cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are reported to the CDC annually. In 2019, however, the CDC confirmed 38 cases of EEE and 15 deaths. It has a fatality rate estimated to be around 33%, with many survivors experiencing permanent neurological damage, and there is currently no effective treatment. Other arboviruses, such as West Nile Virus (WNV), are also prevalent and deadly.

Massachusetts was one of the most impacted states of the 2019 outbreak, with 12 reported cases and six deaths. Many towns in Massachusetts cancelled outdoor activities and imposed curfews during hours when mosquitos were most active with the hope of mitigating potential exposures, but such guidelines were reactive, not proactive. With fears of new, emerging arboviruses being more virulent, and in light of the recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, society should be better prepared to predict potential outbreaks and respond to them effectively before they happen.

Content

This dataset contains information from mass.gov detailing the results of arbovirus surveillance in Massachusetts from 2014 to 2019.

Inspiration

1. Predicting future outbreaks.
2. Identifying the species of mosquitos implicated in certain arboviruses.