TO: All
Media Sources
FROM: Allegany
County Department of Health, Supervising PH Educator, Robert Matasich
RE: Eastern
Equine Encephalitis
DATE: September 26, 2024
News
Release: Eastern Equine Encephalitis
BELMONT,
NY – The first case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis is confirmed in New York
State since 2015. Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a serious and fatal mosquito-borne
disease with no vaccine to date. The
strategies to prevent mosquito bites are similar to those that help us prevent
ticks and many tick-borne diseases. Even
though temperatures are getting cooler, mosquito-borne illnesses are still a
risk and Allegany County residents should remain vigilant. The EEE virus is not
spread from person to person but rather by the bite of an infected mosquito.
Most people bitten by an infected mosquito will
not develop symptoms. Severe cases
may begin with the sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills and vomiting.
The illness may then progress into disorientation, seizures, encephalitis, and
coma. While the risk for Allegany County residents remains low, here are some
quick tips to help you prevent any mosquito borne illness:
Preventive
Measures:
·
Use insect repellent containing DEET. Be sure to
follow all insect repellant label directions. Children should not handle
repellants directly.
·
Wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors,
especially during dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active
·
Keep mosquitos out of your home by making sure your
window and door screens do not have holes
·
Remove standing water around your property where
mosquitoes can breed such as clogged gutters, pails, tires without rims,
birdbaths, water features where water is stagnant, etc.
The Allegany
County Department of Health is a resource for the community. Contact our
office for more information on mosquito breeding habitats or a potential
mosquito risk assessment at your home.
Visit the Allegany County Department of Health
website alleganyco.gov/departments/health
or contact our office at (585) 268-9250. For more information on Eastern Equine
Encephalitis and how to protect yourself, please check here.
