Another Vermont town has been designated “high risk” for Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV).
Sudbury, a small town in Vermont’s Rutland County with a population of just a few hundred people, was added to the state’s alert list on Wednesday, joining Burlington, Alburg, Colchester and Swanton, according to local media outlet WCAX3.
Health officials are urging residents to take precautions to avoid exposure to EEEV, which has emerged across New England and has also reported cases in Wisconsin.
What is EEE, the mosquito-borne disease that killed a New Hampshire man?
Health officials in various New England states are warning residents about the potentially deadly mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus after detecting mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus. (iStock)
EEEV is a rare but serious disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes, and health officials in several states are urging residents to take precautions to avoid infection.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott previously said of the virus, “It’s clear that this disease is dangerous, but it’s not currently widespread. We must accept that this disease is here and take precautions.”
Last week, a man in Hampstead, New Hampshire, died after testing positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).
According to a statement from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the man was “hospitalized with severe central nervous system illness and later died as a result of his illness.”
New Hampshire resident dies from EEEV infection as rare, deadly mosquito-borne virus spreads through New England
In late August, four Massachusetts towns — Douglas, Oxford, Sutton and Webster — voluntarily implemented nightly lockdowns to curb the spread of the virus.
The decision comes after the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed the first human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in Worcester County since 2020, in an elderly man from Oxford.
Eastern equine encephalitis is caused by a virus that is spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes, according to the CDC, which describes EEE as a “rare but serious illness.”
Several cases are reported each year in the United States, with most occurring in the eastern or Gulf Coast states.
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The CDC recommends using insect repellent, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and treating clothing and equipment with permethrin, an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes. (iStock)
Dr. Edward Liu, chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, said EEE has been “very rare” in the US up until now, but it’s possible that this type of virus could become more prevalent across the country.
“Longer warm weather gives mosquitoes more time to breed,” Liu told Fox News Digital. “Heavy rains create standing water, which creates an environment for mosquito populations to thrive.”
According to the CDC, common symptoms of EEE include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, seizures, behavioral changes, and drowsiness, which usually appear 5 to 10 days after the bite. The disease can be fatal, with 30% of infected people dying.
Fox News Digital’s Melissa Ruddy contributed to this report.
