A rare and dangerous mosquito-borne illness is spreading through New England, putting states on high alert with one death already confirmed following an infection.
Cases of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) have been detected in at least five states this year: Massachusetts, Vermont, Wisconsin, New Jersey and New Hampshire.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health warned last weekend that 10 communities in the state are at high or critical risk for the EEE virus. A New Hampshire resident was confirmed to have died this week after testing positive for EEE.
EEE, or “triple E,” is spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes. There are no vaccines or treatments available for the virus. The mosquito-borne disease occurs rarely in the U.S., but it can be deadly.
Here’s what we know.
It’s a rare coastal disease
As can be expected for a disease spread through mosquitos, EEE largely occurs in coastal regions of the U.S. such as New England and New Orleans.
“Definitely, I’d say New England and the Gulf Coast are the two areas in the U.S. where it’s mainly occurred in the past,” said Dr. David Hamer, professor of global health and medicine at the Boston University School of Public Health.