WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A 70-year-old man from Chittenden County died in September after contracting the eastern equine encephalitis virus, according to the Vermont Department of Health.
This marks the first confirmed death from the disease in Vermont since 2012. The test results were confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vermont's health commissioner, Dr. Mark Levine, told to NBC5, 'EEE is a funny kind of virus where there are a couple of years in a row where it is very active and is present and then will disappear off the radar for a while. Unless you are on the top of Mount Mansfield, most places have not experienced that hard frost yet, and it may not actually occur in the next week or two.'
So far, 16 cases of EEE have been registered in the U.S. this year, as per the CDC.
EEE is a serious illness transmitted by infected mosquitoes, often leading to encephalitis, which is an inflammation of the brain and can be fatal in severe cases.
Symptoms of EEE include flu-like manifestations such as fever, chills, body aches, and joint pain. Although most individuals infected with the virus show no symptoms, those in high-risk areas must take precautions to prevent potential exposure.
Earlier, Levine advised people in Vermont that they 'need to take the threat of EEE very seriously. If you live in a town at high risk, please avoid spending time outside in the evenings when mosquitoes are most active to protect yourself from this potentially severe illness.'
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