Sudbury, Vermont, has joined a growing list of towns in the state designated as "high risk" for eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), prompting health officials to urge precautions to avoid exposure to the potentially deadly mosquito-borne disease.
Sudbury, a small town of just a few hundred residents in Rutland County, Vermont, has been added to the state's warning list for eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV). The designation joins Burlington, Alburgh, Colchester, and Swanton as areas where the virus has been detected.
Health officials in Vermont and across New England are advising residents to take precautions to avoid exposure to EEEV, which can be transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Cases of EEEV have also been reported in Wisconsin this year.
Vermont Town Designated "High Risk" for EEEV, Prompting Health Precautions
Vermont Governor Phil Scott has emphasized the severity of the disease while acknowledging its limited spread thus far. "Obviously, this disease is dangerous, but it's not widespread at this point. We should acknowledge that it's there and take precautions," Scott said.
Last week, a man from Hampstead, New Hampshire, tragically passed away after testing positive for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE). The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reported that the man was hospitalized with severe central nervous system disease and succumbed to the illness.
Vermont Town Designated "High Risk" for EEEV, Prompting Health Precautions
In an effort to curb the spread of EEEV, four Massachusetts towns—Douglas, Oxford, Sutton, and Webster—implemented a voluntary evening lockdown in late August. The lockdown measure was triggered by the first confirmed human case of EEEV in Worcester County since 2020. The elderly man from Oxford was affected by the virus.
Eastern equine encephalitis is caused by a virus transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). EEE is a rare but serious disease, with only a few cases reported in the U.S. each year, primarily in the Eastern or Gulf Coast states.
Vermont Town Designated "High Risk" for EEEV, Prompting Health Precautions
To prevent EEEV infection, individuals are advised to use insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants and treating clothing and gear with permethrin, an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes, can further enhance protection.
Dr. Edward Liu, chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, notes that although EEE was previously uncommon in the U.S., the potential for these types of viruses to become more prevalent across the country is a concern.
"As warm seasons get longer, mosquitoes have more time to breed," Liu told Fox News Digital. "If heavy rains cause standing pools of water, that will create an environment for larger mosquito populations."
Common symptoms of EEE include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, seizures, behavioral changes, and drowsiness. These symptoms typically appear five to ten days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. EEE can be fatal, with a fatality rate of approximately 30% among infected individuals.
For more information on EEEV, individuals can refer to the following resources:
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/eastern-equine-encephalitis-eee/
* Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH): https://www.mass.gov/info-details/eastern-equine-encephalitis-virus
* Vermont Department of Health: https://www.healthvermont.gov/ceeh/infectious-diseases/eee
