Connecticut sees first death this year from mosquito-borne EEE

A Connecticut resident has died from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), the first such death in the state since 2013, health officials report. In addition, another person in the state has contracted the infection, as an outbreak grows.

It has been an unusually active year for EEE, with cases reported in several northeast states. In Massachusetts, 10 cases have been reported and two people have died. Cases of EEE have also been reported in Michigan and Rhode Island, and three people in Michigan and one person in Rhode Island have died, CNN reports.

The disease is spread by mosquitoes and people in affected areas are urged to use mosquito repellent, cover bare skin, and stay inside at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. Usually, five to 10 cases of EEE are reported in a year, but for 30 percent, it is fatal, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Symptoms of EEE start four to 10 days after a person is infected and include headache, high fever, chills, and body and joint aches. In severe cases, the brain swells causing tremors, seizures and paralysis, CNN says.

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