Officials in New Hampshire confirmed one adult has died from illness caused by the mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis virus.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services and Division of Public Health Services said the man was hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease before succumbing to the illness.
The 41-year-old reportedly had no underlying conditions. Officials did not identify him in the press release.
“DHHS offers our sympathies to the individual’s family and friends,” the agency said in a statement.
EEE, which is transmitted to people and animals through infected mosquitoes, is a rare but deadly disease.
The person’s death in New Hampshire comes amid a recent outbreak of mosquito-borne illnesses in the New England area.
In addition to the one fatal case, EEE has been detected in one horse and seven mosquito batches in New Hampshire. The last time New Hampshire reported any human cases of EEE was three infections in 2014, two of which resulted in fatalities.
Neighboring Massachusetts also reported its first case of human EEE since 2020.
“In New Hampshire, mosquitos transmit infections including Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, and Jamestown Canyon Virus,” state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in a press release. “We believe there is an elevated risk for EEEV infections this year in New England given the positive mosquito samples identified. The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills the mosquitos. Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors.”
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EEE can cause fever, chills, muscle aches, and joint pain, DHHS said. It can also lead to severe neurological disease, such as inflammation of the brain and membranes around the spinal cord, which present as encephalitis or meningitis, DHHS said.
About a third of people who develop encephalitis from EEE die from their infection, and others often experience “life-long” physical or mental impacts, said DHHS.
To protect yourself from mosquitoes, experts recommend:
- Using insect repellent
- Wearing loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and pants
- Having screened windows and air conditioning to prevent indoor bites
- Getting rid of any standing water
There is currently no vaccine or treatment for EEE, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 30% of the people who become infected die.
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