New York has first death from eastern equine encephalitis in nearly 10 years

The Ulster County individual with New York’s first eastern equine encephalitis case in almost 10 years has died, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday as she announced the state will add resources to battle mosquitoes that transmit the rare but potentially deadly disease.

By declaring that EEE is “an imminent threat to public health,” the state can assist local health departments with mosquito spraying and other programs between Sept. 30 and Nov. 30.

Hochul said mosquito repellent will be made available to people who visit state parks and campgrounds and new signs warning people about the dangers of EEE will be posted.

Local health departments will work with the state to decide whether park hours and camping should be limited during the hours of peak mosquito activity.

There was an uptick in EEE activity this summer, especially around New England, where eight people have contracted the disease, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New Jersey and Wisconsin have also each had one human case.

On average there are usually 11 cases throughout the United States each year.

According to the CDC, about 30% of those who develop severe EEE illness die and many survivors have long-term neurological damage.

State health officials said that while people of all ages are susceptible to infection, people over 50 years and younger than 15 years of age are at a higher risk.

In a statement, state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said the disease is “different” this year.

“While we normally see these mosquitoes in two to three counties each year, this year they have been in 15 counties so far, and scattered all over New York State,” McDonald said. “This life-threatening mosquito-borne disease has no commercially available human vaccine and must be taken seriously.”

Since July, 28 mosquito samples collected from around the state — including one in Suffolk County — tested positive for the EEE virus. In addition, 18 horses from several upstate regions tested positive and two emus from Rensselaer County have died from EEE.

The Suffolk County Health Department conducts its own surveillance program and found the one mosquito sample with EEE from the Connetquot River State Preserve. The last EEE positive mosquito sample in Suffolk was found in 2019.

“To find mosquitoes testing positive for eastern equine encephalitis is uncommon, but not new in Suffolk County,” County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott said in a statement. “The preventive measures we take at the county level are not often appreciated until a human becomes infected with this very serious, life-threatening virus. As with West Nile virus, which is much more common in Suffolk County, we ask residents to take precautions.”

Nassau County Health Department officials said they are closely monitoring for EEE and there have been no positive mosquito samples or animal cases so far this year. 

Before this year’s case, health officials said 11 people in the state have been diagnosed with EEE since 1971 and seven died.

Mosquitoes also transmit West Nile virus to people. While those cases are more prevalent than EEE, they are not as deadly.

Symptoms of EEE include fever, headache, vomiting, seizures, diarrhea, behavioral changes and drowsiness. Experts have advised people to contact their doctors about symptoms.

Officials urged people to try and avoid mosquito bites by removing standing water, wearing long sleeves and long pants, using repellent and avoiding the outdoors when mosquitoes are most active in the evenings.

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.