A person in the northeastern US state of New Hampshire has died after being infected with the extremely rare mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus, health officials have announced.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said in a statement that the patient was identified as an adult from the town of Hempstead who was hospitalized for severe central nervous system disease and later died.
“The last case of human EEEV infection in New Hampshire was reported in 2014, when DHHS identified three human infections, including two deaths,” the department said.
The new infections and deaths come amid growing concerns from state officials in New England about the growing threat of EEE, which is believed to be exacerbated by climate change.
Earlier this month, Massachusetts announced the state’s first human case of EEE of the year — in a man in his 80s — and officials have asked the public to observe a voluntary outdoor curfew, closed public parks, and begun aerial and ground spraying to control mosquito populations.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of eastern equine encephalitis include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes and drowsiness.
It can also cause serious neurological diseases, such as inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, known as encephalitis and meningitis.
About 30 percent of those infected die, and many survivors suffer from ongoing physical or mental effects. Individuals under the age of 15 and over the age of 50 are considered to be at higher risk.
There is currently no vaccine or treatment available.
Health officials recommend using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing when outdoors and removing standing water around homes to reduce mosquito breeding sites.
Climate Central’s 2023 report shows that the number of “mosquito days” — warm, humid conditions ideal for mosquito activity — has increased across much of the United States over the past four decades due to human-caused climate change.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)