A 41-year-old New Hampshire man has died from eastern equine encephalitis, a rare virus spread by mosquitoes. The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced that otherwise healthy Steven Perry was hospitalized with acute central nervous system symptoms and tested positive for the disease known as EEE. Mr. Perry’s condition rapidly deteriorated, and he died at Massachusetts General Hospital on August 19. A family obituary stated that “Steven left those that he loved far too soon.”
Perry’s is the first case of EEE found in New Hampshire since 2014. It spreads through mosquito bites, and of the three instances identified in the Granite State ten years ago, two resulted in fatalities. The number of cases in the US varies from year to year, with seven recorded nationwide in 2023, but 30 in 2019. Of those 30, six resulted in fatalities.
The news comes just days after Georgia officials announced new West Nile virus cases, also transmitted by mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported that numbers in the Peach State had tripled to six since August 22, with four cases registered in the Atlanta area.
The CDC further noted 300 cases of the disease across 33 states, including 195 cases of the neuro-invasive strain. This is the most severe version of the virus, known as West Nile encephalitis, and can result in fatalities or brain inflammation, causing severe health conditions.
EEE is rare in the US, and most cases occur in eastern or Gulf Coast States. The CDC notes that around 30% of those who contract the disease die, and many survivors endure significant neurological problems. Symptoms include headache, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and behavioral changes. There are no vaccines and no effective treatment, prompting experts to warn that the only way to avoid the disease is to prevent mosquito bites.
CDC advice on protecting against mosquitoes includes using Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents and wearing loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts and pants. Parents should also dress their children in clothing that covers their arms and legs and to shield babies’ strollers with mosquito nets.
