LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- A resident in the U.S. state of New Hampshire died of eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a rare but deadly mosquito-borne virus, the state health department announced Tuesday.
The person who died was an adult from Hampstead, New Hampshire, who tested positive for EEE virus infection, according to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. The person was hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease, and has passed away due to illness.
It was New Hampshire's first human case of the EEE virus in 10 years, according to the health department.
Besides the human case, EEE virus has been detected in one horse and seven mosquito batches in New Hampshire so far this summer.
In recent weeks, U.S. authorities have sounded the alarm over the resurgence of EEE, prompting public health warnings and preventative measures to curb its spread. Besides New Hampshire, EEE virus has also been detected in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Vermont.
EEE is a highly dangerous viral illness transmitted to humans and horses through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The disease primarily affects the central nervous system, leading to severe neurological conditions and, in some cases, death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
