Eastern Equine Encephalitis

A New Hampshire resident has died after being infected with a rare but often deadly mosquito-borne virus—the first such death in the state in 10 years and the first in the US this year, officials confirmed yesterday. 

The eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, virus has put a handful of communities on alert. Massachusetts reported its first human case since 2020 last week, with at least 10 counties in the state at high or critical risk of EEE. Those communities have restricted outdoor activities and closed public parks from dusk to dawn. Three people have also been infected in Vermont, New Jersey, and Wisconsin. View all data here.

The EEE virus is only passed onto humans through mosquitoes and isn't transmitted between people. Symptoms appear four to 10 days after a bite and include fever, body aches, vomiting, and fatigue. The virus can also cause neurological conditions. No vaccines or treatments for the root condition exist for humans. Roughly 30% of infected people die. See the difference between mosquito-borne viruses like EEE, West Nile, and malaria here.