LAKEVILLE — The Lakeville Board of Health recommends residents stay inside during peak mosquito activity hours, use insect repellent with DEET or other EPA-registered ingredients and follow other state guidelines to protect themselves against contracting Eastern Equine Encephalitis or West Nile Virus. 

Residents of Lakeville are at a ‘moderate’ risk for contracting both mosquito-borne illnesses, according to Lakeville Health Agent Edward Cullen. 

Two cases of EEE in humans and two cases in horses have been found in Plymouth County this year, according to the Department of Public Health. On Aug. 29, Middleboro town officials learned that an unvaccinated horse in Middleboro died after contracting EEE.

Aerial sprays of insecticides were completed in towns surrounding Lakeville, including parts of Middleboro, starting Aug. 27. 

The sprays used a pesticide called Anvil 10+10, an Environmental Protection Agency registered chemical that has been used to control mosquitoes worldwide for over 20 years, according to the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. 

Plymouth County Mosquito Control project provides a street spray service that can be requested by the town or residents through the phone, mail or fax. 

These sprays kill mosquitos in the area at the time the spray is performed, but are not preventative, informs the Plymouth County Mosquito Control Project. Residents can receive up to eight sprays per season, unless they are in an area where spraying is restricted. 

At this point, no events have been canceled due to mosquito-borne illness concerns in Lakeville, the Board of Health reported. 

Town officials urge residents to follow state guidelines and cancel or reschedule activities from dusk to dawn, when mosquitoes are most active, wear long sleeves and pants and apply insect repellent when outdoors. 

Officials recommend using repellents with DEET, permethrin, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus, according to instructions on product labels.

Some of these chemicals however should not be used on infants or toddlers and should be used in limited concentrations on older children.

Permethrin products are intended for use on items such as clothing, shoes, bed nets and camping gear and should not be applied directly to your skin, the Department of Public Health reports. 

Residents are also encouraged to drain any standing water in their homes that can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and to repair holes or install new screens in windows and doors to prevent mosquitoes from getting inside.