New Hampshire resident dies from EEE, a rare mosquito-borne virus

Officials at the New Hampshire Health Department confirmed that a resident of the state died from eastern equine encephalitis more commonly known as EEE, a virus transmitted by mosquitoes. 
 
It is the first EEE death in the United States this year, according to Maureen Kowalick, the spokeswoman of the New Jersey Department of Health. The man, known to his family as 41-year-old Steven Perry, had “been hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease,” NH health officials added. 
 
Before the pandemic, Perry was healthy and did not have any medical issues, his family said in an interview to NBC10 Boston but the disease was fatal. 
 
It is the fifth case during this year. The cases of EEE occur in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont and Wisconsin as stated by CDC. 
 
Now is the time, the mosquitoes with their peak activities are observed more in the months of August and September. 
 
“The risk will remain through the fall until the first hard frost kills the mosquitoes,” New Hampshire’s state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in a statement Tuesday. 
 
The Massachusetts Public Health Department said that insecticide sprays will start this week due to a case of EEE in a man in his 80s. Several Massachusetts towns said they will close public parks from dusk until dawn at night as mosquitoes are most effective then. 
 
While many people with EEE have no symptoms, others develop symptoms typical of many viruses: headache, high temperature, body pains, nausea, loose stools or tiredness. At times, symptoms of encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain, may show up as well as meningitis which is inflammation of the membranes of the brain and the spinal chord. 
 
It has not been a record-breaking year for the virus up to this year. For the past year, there were only seven reported cases . Which thirty-eight were counted in 2019. 
 
However health authorities are ever vigilant especially for EEE cases since this virus is fatal in many cases. Symptoms mostly start with a fever, and without intervention, about one-third of patients die, often within 10 days after the onset of symptoms, the CDC has noted. 
 
Furthermore, the CDC has stated that many of the people who are cured are left with after effects, which range from moderate to severe mental retardation, personality changes, epilepsy, faulty- coordination, facial nerve paralysis and other influencing problem. 
 
The U. S. is also seeing high numbers of another mosquito-borne virus: It is also known as West Nile. By Tuesday, according to CDC, 289 cases have been confirmed in 33 states across the country. Among them 195 had neuroinvasive disease. 
 
“People should try to reduce exposure to mosquitoes whenever they are in the open, people should cover up,” Chan advised. 
 
Those steps include: 
 
spraying a bug repellant that contain DEET or picaridin 
 
having worn loose and light colored garments that hide the arm and leg trouses 
 
removal of any stagnated water at the periphery of buildings such as; dog dishes, flower pots, bird feeders, toys and the likes.