HUHS Warns Of Rise in Respiratory, Mosquito-Borne Illnesses Amid Start to Semester

Harvard University Health Services Director Giang T. Nguyen warned of high levels of Covid-19 nationally and a rise in mosquito and tick-borne diseases in a Monday email to affiliates.

Mosquitos and ticks in Massachusetts area may carry West Nile Virus, Eastern equine encephalitis, or Lyme Disease.

Over the past week, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced two cases of EEE and and one case of WNV in Middlesex County. Though Middlesex County includes Cambridge, none of the cases were in Cambridge and it is not among communities with elevated risk levels for either disease.

Students across campus have reported a noticeable rise in respiratory illnesses at the beginning of the school year.

Chris-Ander Paraison ’28, a first-year student in Holworthy, said he’s been experiencing “a runny nose, cough,” and other symptoms that could align with any of the illnesses cited by HUHS.

“Within the first week of orientation — once everyone's moved in — I got sick, and the week after it got worse,” he said. “Even now I’m still sick.”

While these symptoms could point to one of the above diseases, Paraison acknowledged how unrelated illnesses can affect the freshman class.

“The freshman flu definitely exists in that regard,” he added.

Nevertheless, the rise in respiratory illness isn’t limited to just first-years. Upperclassmen students noted how easily sickness can spread through the college, crediting social habits within the college environment.

“Everyone’s all together, sharing drinks, moving in together and things like that,” sophomore Addison Gaddy ’27 said, noting that she thinks several of her friends have gotten sick since returning to campus.

In his email, Nguyen announced the return of HUHS’s week-long flu clinic — with free vaccinations for all Harvard ID holders — will take place during the week of Monday, Sept. 30. Students with incomplete immunization records could also visit HUHS to receive any missing vaccines on Tuesday or Wednesday of this week.

Alongside Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses, Nguyen’s email also cautioned students to protect themselves against mosquitoes and ticks, carriers of WNV, EEE, and Lyme Disease.

Students reported varying degrees of concern over Nguyen’s warning, with some feeling no need to be worried at all.

“I haven’t experienced it in my day-to-day, so I don’t think I’m too concerned,” said Paraison.

For others, the recent reports are more alarming. Gaddy said her roommate was bitten by a mosquito recently and was “freaking out.”

“And she’s from Boston, so she knows a lot about it,” Gaddy added.

—Staff writer Alex Chou can be reached at alex.chou@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Camilla J. Martinez can be reached at camilla.martinez@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @camillajinm.