DEM wraps up West Nile, EEE testing

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - We haven't had the first frost, but the mosquito population is down enough that the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management is wrapping up testing for West Nile Virus and EEE for the season.

The DEM said in a news release Tuesday that their tests for twenty-two different traps set around the state back on October 13 all came back negative for the virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, or EEE.

The DEM's Gail Mastrati said if the temperatures warm up in the evenings, there's still the risk of occasional "biting activity" until the first sustained statewide hard frost, so you should still cover up and wear mosquito repellent when the remaining mosquitoes are active.

So far this year, four mosquito pools trapped in South Kingstown and Providence tested positive for EEE. Three trapped in mosquito pools in Pawtucket and East Providence tested positive for West Nile. Testing is done at the Rhode Island Department of Health's labs.