Maine resident infected with Eastern equine encephalitis for 1st time in almost a decade

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday said the mosquito-borne disease Eastern equine encephalitis had been detected in a Maine resident.
The Maine CDC described the infection as “locally acquired” and said it is the first case of the disease in Maine since 2015.
The infected person is an adult from Penobscot County who has not recently traveled out of state. They fell ill with severe symptoms in early October and are still hospitalized, according to the Maine CDC.
The diagnosis of eastern equine encephalitis, commonly abbreviated as EEE, is awaiting confirmation by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
EEE cannot spread from human to human, or between human and animal.
Symptoms of EEE include flu-like symptoms, such as fever, body aches, and headache, the Maine CDC said. Some people can develop severe symptoms, including brain swelling (encephalitis) and spinal cord inflammation (meningitis).
In some cases, mosquito-borne diseases can lead to death. If you experience any of these symptoms, the Maine CDC recommends calling a health care provider.