NH EEE death: Danville resident died of mosquito-borne illness, state says

A second New Hampshire resident has now died of Eastern equine encephalitis, health officials confirmed Friday.

The state Department of Health and Human Services said in an email that it has identified another New Hampshire resident who tested positive for EEE this year. They said the individual, an adult from Danville, was hospitalized and later died due to their illness. This is the fifth human EEE infection in the state this year, two of which have now been fatal.

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The previous death was a resident of Hampstead, which borders on Danville.

All five residents came down with the illness in August, so health officials said the recently-identified infections do not represent newly-acquired disease.

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"As the weather cools, there has been a decline in mosquito activity, which likely translates to decreasing risk for mosquito-transmitted infections like EEEV," a DHHS spokeswoman said in an email. "However, it's important for New Hampshire residents and visitors to remember that as long as mosquitos are out and biting, some risk remains."

Prior to this year, New Hampshire hadn't seen a human case of EEE for a decade. That year three people were infected with the mosquito-borne virus and two of them died.

The CDC says infected mosquitoes spread the virus, and the best way to avoid it is to protect yourself against mosquito bites. About 30% of people who contract the virus die, while survivors may have neurological problems. Symptoms include fever, chills and muscle aches. There is no cure for EEE.

Massachusetts has confirmed four cases of EEE in humans this year. The state is withholding EEE mortality information until the end of the season under a policy designed to protect patient confidentiality. But the family of an Acton man confirmed this week that he died of EEE about a month ago.