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A 77-year-old Connecticut resident died last week, marking the first death related to Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in the state since 2013. This woman, identified by Reverend Brian Maxwell as being Patricia Shaw, had been hospitalized ever since. end of August because of the virus.
"I was with her family yesterday and they told me that she was so kind to animals and if she walked down the street and saw something that was hurt, she would pick it up," Maxwell, of St. Matthias in East Lyme, told WFSB.com. "They saved a bird, it would not kill an insect. It is therefore almost ironic that she has received this mosquito bite and that this very rare disease has occurred. "
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On Friday, the Connecticut Department of Health confirmed the death of a resident of East Lyme and announced a second case of EEE in an adult residing in Old Lyme who remains hospitalized. The officials did not take stock of the patient's condition, but said he was ill during the second week of September.
"The identification of two Connecticut residents with EEE, one of whom has passed away, points to the seriousness of this infection," said DPH Commissioner Renee Coleman Mitchell in a press release. "Using an insect repellent, covering bare skin and avoiding being outdoors from dusk to dawn are effective ways to protect yourself from mosquito bites." Mosquitoes continue to be active until the first major freeze. "
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In the neighboring state of Massachusetts, the authorities counted 10 cases of EEE in humans and two deaths, while Rhode Island reported three cases and one death.
The symptoms of the virus usually appear about four to ten days after a bite, with severe cases progressing to encephalitis. Patients may have high fever, stiff neck, severe headache and lack of energy. About one-third of patients who contract an EEE will die and there is no specific treatment for the virus. Health officials said the only way to protect themselves from the virus was to avoid mosquito bites.
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"Although mosquitoes infected with EEE continue to be detected in the southeast corner of Connecticut, their numbers are declining and we do not know the excessively high activity levels observed in Massachusetts," said Connecticut health officials.
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