A New Hampshire resident who tested positive for the mosquito-borne infection eastern equine encephalitis virus has died, health authorities in the state said. The Hampstead resident's infection was the first in the state in a decade, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday. The resident, identified as an adult, had been hospitalized due to severe central nervous system symptoms, the department said .
About a third of people who develop encephalitis from the virus die from the infections, and survivors can suffer lifelong mental and physical disabilities. There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment available. There are typically about 11 human cases of eastern equine encephalitis in the United States per year, according to the U.
S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mosquito precautions advised In Canada, the last reported human case of the disease was in 2016.
But local public health officials in Ottawa say a horse recently tested positive. They encourage residents to: Use insect repellent. Wear light-coloured long pants and long-sleeves.
Make sure windows and doors have screens. Remove or empty standing-water sites around your home There were three cases of the virus in humans in New Hampshire in 2014, and two of those resulted in fatalities. The state health department said the virus, which is rare but serious, has also been detected in one horse and several mosquito batches in New Hampshire this summer.
A passerby walks a dog on Mond.