New Hampshire health officials announced Tuesday that a person has died after testing positive for the mosquito-borne disease Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV).
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) said in a statement that an adult from Hampstead, New Hampshire, who tested positive for EEEV infection “was hospitalized with severe central nervous system illness and subsequently passed away as a result of his illness. DHHS extends its condolences to the family and friends of this individual.”
EEEV is a rare but serious disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. The last reported human case of EEEV in New Hampshire was in 2014, when three cases were confirmed that year, two of which died, according to the Department of Health. In addition to the EEEV cases announced Tuesday, EEEV has been detected in one horse and seven mosquito populations in New Hampshire so far this summer.
“In New Hampshire, mosquitoes transmit diseases such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus and Jamestown Canyon Virus,” New Hampshire state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chang said in a statement. “Based on the positive mosquito samples, we believe there is an increased risk of EEEV transmission in New England this year, and this risk will continue into the fall until we have a severe frost that will kill mosquitoes.” [sic]Everyone should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when outdoors.”
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Cattail mosquitoes are hung for testing at the Maine Medical Center Laboratory in South Portland, Maine, Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach, File)
New Hampshire health officials said EEEV can cause flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills and muscle and joint pain.
EEEV can also cause serious neurological illnesses, including inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, known as encephalitis and meningitis. According to the Ministry, about one-third of people who develop encephalitis caused by EEEV die from the infection, and many others experience lifelong physical or mental effects. There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment for EEEV.
EEEV has also been detected in neighboring states: one person, one horse, and 69 mosquitoes have tested positive in Massachusetts, and one person and 47 mosquitoes have tested positive in Vermont. On August 9, Vermont health officials announced the state's first case of infection since 2012. The case is a man in his 40s from Chittenden County who was hospitalized on July 16 and released one week later.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are approximately 11 cases of eastern equine encephalitis each year in the United States.
The City of Plymouth has announced that it will close its public outdoor recreational facilities from dusk to dawn each day, effective Friday, Aug. 23, 2024, following a case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in horses in the city. (AP Photo/Steven Sene, File)
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New Hampshire health officials have warned residents to take measures to prevent EEEV infection by using effective mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves and long pants when outdoors, and avoiding outdoor activities during early morning and evening hours when mosquitoes are most active.
Massachusetts began aerial spraying to eradicate mosquitoes over the weekend. (Lane Turner/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
The department said it's also important for residents to remove standing water around their homes to reduce mosquito populations and install tight-fitting screens on doors and windows without holes.
Over the weekend, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) and Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) announced plans to conduct aerial spraying for mosquito control in areas of Plymouth County and truck-mounted spraying in parts of Worcester County. As of Saturday, 10 Massachusetts communities had been elevated to high or severe risk for EEEV.
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“Massachusetts has not seen a case of EEE in four years,” said Massachusetts Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, M.D. said in a statement on Saturday.. “Trends and activity this year have created increased risk in some areas of our state. We must use all tools available to us to reduce risk and protect our communities. We ask everyone to do their part.”
The city of Plymouth, about 40 miles southeast of Boston, announced Friday that it was taking “aggressive measures” to close all parks and open spaces from dusk to dawn in response to high-risk EEEV conditions.
