First EEE death in N.Y. prompts Hochul to declare imminent threat

Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared the mosquito-borne EEE virus an imminent menace to the general public after the dying of an individual in Ulster County.

The resident, identified final week with Jap equine encephalitis, was the primary particular person within the state to be identified with the sickness since 2015. Their id was not launched.

The Ulster County Well being Division is investigating.

Hochul mentioned a number of departments had been given extra assets for prevention response, together with expanded mosquito spraying, via the tip of November.

State-operated outside areas may have extra warning indicators about EEE and have extra repellent obtainable for guests.

“Retaining New Yorkers secure is my high precedence,” Hochul mentioned. “Following the primary confirmed human case of EEE, my administration took statewide motion to assist shield communities—and with right now’s declaration we’re making extra state assets obtainable to native departments to assist their public well being response. We have been knowledgeable this affected person has handed away from EEE; we lengthen our sympathies and our hearts exit to their household.”

State Well being Commissioner James McDonald mentioned EEE had been present in mosquito populations in 15 counties—a few dozen greater than the yearly common—together with Suffolk County, and threat would not lower till a number of consecutive nights with below-freezing temperatures.

“This life-threatening mosquito-borne illness has no commercially obtainable human vaccine and have to be taken significantly,” McDonald mentioned. “Mosquitoes, as soon as a nuisance, at the moment are a menace.”

Circumstances of EEE have additionally been reported in Massachusetts, Vermont, Wisconsin, New Jersey and New Hampshire, the latter of which was deadly.

The virus is a uncommon however critical sickness transmitted via bites from contaminated mosquitoes, in response to the federal Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

Whereas most circumstances in people current no signs, these identified to happen embody fever, muscle fatigue and headache. In extreme circumstances, sufferers can fall right into a coma. It’s deadly in about 33% of circumstances.

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