First Case Of Deadly EEE Virus Found In Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Public Health has confirmed that the first case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been reported in East Lyme.

So far this year only mosquitoes that were carrying the deadly virus have been found in 12 Connecticut towns including Chester, Haddam, Hampton, Groton, Killingworth, Ledyard, Madison, North Stonington, Plainfield, Shelton, Stonington, and Voluntown.

This is the first case detected in a human in Connecticut since 2013.

Local officials in towns surrounding East Lyme are taking this virus very seriously. According to patch.com, New London Chief Administrative Officer Steven Fields released a statement Tuesday saying that,”Effective immediately and until further notice, any and all city sponsored or supervised outdoor activities will be end by dusk at 6:15 pm, the time when mosquitoes are most active".

Here's the official statement released by the DPH:

Severe cases of EEE virus infection, (involving encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain), begin with the sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills, and vomiting. The illness may then progress into disorientation, seizures, and coma. Approximately a third of patients who develop EEE die, and many of those who survive have mild to severe brain damage.

The DPH is also advising against trips to area's where mosquitoes are prevalent like marshes and freshwater swamps. Camp grounds and other area's in Connecticut where you could be exposed to the EEE virus should also be avoided.

The department also wants to remind people that there is no specific cure for EEE, so if you think you may have been infected contact the Connecticut Department of Public Health right away.