Sep 1, 2007 11:36 am US/Eastern
Second N.H. Resident Tests Positive For EEE
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
A second New Hampshire resident has been infected with Eastern Equine Encephalitis in 2007, New Hampshire state health officials said Saturday.
The unidentified victim is a resident of Newfields, New Hampshire. He tested positive for the disease Saturday.
The first case of EEE in New Hampshire was report a couple weeks ago when a Newton resident tested positive for the disease. He was expected to make a full recovery.
There were no cases of EEE in New Hampshire in 2006 but two people died in 2005 from the disease, including 20-year-old Kelly Labell, also from Newton.
In August, mosquito pools in Newton and Brentwood, and one horse in Kensington tested positive.
EEE is a virus transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. Health officials say overall, the risk to humans is low, but EEE can cause serious illness.
The disease generally begins 2 to 14 days after being bitten by an infected
Mosquito, health officials said. In severe cases, the first symptoms of EEE and West Nile Virus are high fever (103°F to 106°F), stiff neck, headache, and lack of energy. People with these symptoms should call their health care provider. In rare cases, EEE can progress to encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), coma, and death.
Health officials say residents and visitors should do all they can to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. They recommend using insect repellent; wearing long sleeves and pants while outside, especially at dusk and dawn; and removing standing water on their property.
For more information on eastern equine encephalitis or West Nile Virus, call the N.H. Department of Health and Human Services toll-free information line at 866.273.6543 or log onto
www.dhhs.nh.gov.
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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