New York sounds alert for rare mosquito-borne virus. Here’s all about EEE

A New York state resident has tragically died from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), leading Governor Kathy Hochul to declare the mosquito-borne virus an imminent public health threat. The fatality, reported in Ulster County on Monday, marks the second death from the disease in the U.S. this year, following the death of a New Hampshire resident in August.

As of September 17, ten cases of EEE had been confirmed across the nation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), before the New York case was identified. This marks the first death from the disease in New York since 2015, although no details about the deceased have been released.

Governor Hochul’s public health declaration will allocate more state resources to support local health departments in their efforts to control the virus. “After the first confirmed human case of EEE, we took swift statewide action to safeguard communities. With today’s declaration, we’re making more state resources available to aid local health responses,” she said.

The CDC reports that only a few cases of EEE are diagnosed in the U.S. each year, primarily in the eastern and Gulf Coast states. While there were only seven cases nationwide last year, more than 30 were reported in 2019, a particularly severe year.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis: Symptoms, Causes, Vaccine, and More

• Eastern equine encephalitis is caused by a virus spread to people through the bite of an infected mosquito.
• It is a rare but serious disease.
• People living in areas where eastern equine encephalitis virus circulates should protect themselves by preventing mosquito bites.
• There are no vaccines or treatments for EEE
• About 30% of people who become infected die.
• Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.