New York has reported the state’s first death from Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a disease that spreads through bites from mosquitoes.

The patient was the first person to contract EEE in New York since 2015, according to a press release issued by the state on Monday.

“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority,” Governor Hochul said in a statement.

WHAT IS EEE, THE MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASE THAT KILLED A NEW HAMPSHIRE MAN?

“Following the first confirmed human case of EEE, my administration took statewide action to help protect communities – and with today’s declaration, we’re making more state resources available to local departments to support their public health response.”

“We’ve been informed this patient has passed away from EEE; we extend our sympathies and our hearts go out to their family.”

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald has declared EEE an imminent threat to public health, which will make more resources available for prevention measures, such as spraying to reduce mosquitoes.

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The state has announced plans to expand access to insect repellent in parks and campgrounds, and is encouraging New York residents to take steps to protect against mosquito-borne illness.

What is EEE?

Eastern equine encephalitis is caused by a virus that is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which describes EEE as a “rare but serious disease.”

Only a few cases are reported in the U.S. each year, most in the Eastern or Gulf Coast states, the agency states on its website.

Some Northeastern towns have enacted voluntary lockdowns due to the rise in EEE cases. (iStock)

Humans and other animals that contract the virus are considered “dead-end hosts,” the CDC states, which means they can’t spread it to mosquitoes that bite them.

“EEE is only spread to humans via a mosquito bite, and cannot be transmitted directly by other humans or horses,” Dr. Kurt Vandock, PhD, a public health expert and VP of strategic growth for Mosquito Squad, told Fox News Digital.

The patient was the first person to contract EEE in New York since 2015.

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Common symptoms of EEE include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, seizures, behavioral changes and drowsiness.

These usually appear five to 10 days after being bitten.

“Most people have no symptoms; others get only a mild, flu-like illness with fever, headache and sore throat,” Vandock said. 

Using insect repellents that contain DEET can help to protect against mosquito bites, experts say. (iStock)

“For people with an infection of the central nervous system, a sudden fever (103º to 106º), severe headache and stiff neck can be followed quickly by seizures and coma.”

The disease can be deadly, resulting in fatalities for 30% of infected people. It can also lead to chronic neurological deficiencies, per the CDC.

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“The best way to confirm any illness is with an approved and accurate test administered by a medical professional,” said Vandock.

“Eastern equine encephalitis is a serious disease with symptoms occurring fast,” he warned.

“If you live in an area with noted EEE activity and have flu-like symptoms after being bitten by a mosquito, you should seek medical care immediately.”

Concerns of wider infection

In addition to New York, other states that have reported human EEE cases include Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

“Anytime life is put at risk by vector-borne disease, we are concerned,” Vandock said.

“As viral loads increase and transmission rates follow this trend, it is a sign that interventions are necessary to help reduce the risk of transmission,” he went on. 

Common symptoms of EEE include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, stiff neck, seizures, behavioral changes and drowsiness. (iStock)

“One case of any vector-borne disease is one too many.”

As far as why cases have been more prevalent in northeastern states, Vandock said there’s no simple answer.

“Conducive weather patterns, high population density, the heavy presence of the primary vector and seasonality — coinciding with increased outdoor activity — can create the perfect storm for rapid transmission,” he said. 

“One case of any vector-borne disease is one too many.”

The black-tailed mosquito (Culiseta melanura), the primary vector of EEE, can be found in large numbers in the Northeastern United States, according to Vandock. 

“It is known to feed mainly on birds, but does not typically feed on humans,” he said. “As a result, the transmission of EEE to humans and horses is generally thought to occur via ‘bridge vectors,’ which contract the virus from infected birds and can then pass the virus on to other hosts.”

The mosquitoes that act as “bridge vectors” can be found in the Northeast areas where transmission is occurring, the expert noted. 

The risk of contracting the EEE virus is highest during the summer months — especially toward the end of summer, when people go back outdoors as temperatures cool, Vandock said. 

The mosquitoes that act as “bridge vectors” can be found in the Northeast areas where transmission is occurring, an expert noted.  (iStock)

“Anyone who lives or works close to wetlands and swamps is also at an increased risk,” he said. 

The Midwest saw a similar outbreak of EEE in 2019 in Michigan, Vandock noted, as many schools canceled after-school activities after numerous fatalities from the disease. 

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“Current trends suggest that with increasing globalization, population densities, ranges of competent hosts and a favorable climate, the occurrence of EEE and other vector-borne diseases will increase,” he added.

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, said he is not concerned by the increase in cases.

“It is still a very slight uptick, and it is confined to mosquito transmission,” he told Fox News Digital, adding that he only anticipates “sparse cases” in other parts of the country.

Treatment and prevention

There is currently no vaccine for Eastern equine encephalitis, and supportive care is the only means of treating symptoms. 

A mosquito control inspector sprays pesticide to kill mosquitos amid a Zika virus outbreak in Miami, Florida, in 2016. (Getty Images)

Educating the public about the risk, encouraging mosquito repellent use, and spraying to control the mosquito population are the best ways to prevent infection, according to experts.

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The state of New York issued the following recommendations for prevention.

1. Wear long sleeves, pants and socks when outdoors during periods of high mosquito activity, such as dusk or dawn.
2. Use insect repellents that contain DEET.
3. Ensure that there are screens in all windows and doors.
4. Eliminate standing water in outdoor areas where mosquitoes tend to breed.

A new study has exposed the sexual health habits of some Americans.

Researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to determine how and where Americans have been contracting and spreading STIs (sexually transmitted infections), also known as STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).

Among the findings from DatingNews.com was the fact that 55% of people with an STI contracted it from a cheating partner.

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Thirteen percent of the nearly 1,000 respondents said their partner has lied to them about their STI status, while 45% did not discuss testing with their partner before becoming sexually active.

Nearly one in five (18%) of respondents said they had been diagnosed with an STI, with the most common diagnosis, chlamydia, making up 36% of the cases.

The survey participants ranged in age from 18 to 79, DatingNews.com spokesperson Emily Fanous told Fox News Digital.

Since 81% of Americans over 18 are sexually active, Fanous emphasized the importance of knowing one’s risk — and how getting testing can aid in prevention.

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One in three Americans in the study said they have never been tested for an STI.

The largest number of untested individuals were baby boomers (51%), followed by millennials (33%) and Gen Z and Gen X (both 29%).

The main reasons respondents said they’ve refrained from testing are embarrassment (25%), lack of time (22%) and cost (19%).

Baby boomers made up 51% of individuals who had never been tested for STDs. (iStock)

Dr. Gabe Gaviola, M.D., senior medical director at Everlywell in New York — an at-home STD testing and treatment platform — noted that there are more than 20 million new cases of STIs reported in the U.S. each year.

“The real surprise from these findings is the lack of STI testing that could prevent new cases,” Gaviola, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital during an on-camera interview. (See the video at the top of this article.)

“Many STIs don’t present any symptoms, which means you shouldn’t wait for symptoms to get tested.”

“As a doctor and public health advocate, I wish more people knew that there are affordable at-home STI lab testing options that provide quick, reliable results with the privacy and convenience of collection at home.”

“I wish more people knew that there are affordable at-home STI lab testing options that provide quick, reliable results with the privacy and convenience of collection at home,” said a sexual health expert. (iStock)

The study also found that only 34% of people get annual STI testing, while fewer than 25% get tested before entering a new relationship.

“Those numbers aren’t high enough,” Gaviola said. “Many STIs don’t present any symptoms, which means you shouldn’t wait for symptoms to get tested.” 

STDs by state

The research also revealed the U.S. states that have the most STI and STD cases.

Mississippi has the highest rate, at 1,187 diagnoses per 100,000 people, followed by Louisiana at 1,145, Alaska at 1,066, South Dakota at 993 and Georgia at 975.

Fanous encouraged those in states with high rates to consider being tested if they are sexually active.

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“These findings show that too many people are not prioritizing their sexual health,” Gaviola said. 

“Whether it’s because of stigma, access or education, millions of Americans who are at high risk of getting or transmitting an STI are not getting tested.”

“We need to advance the conversation around sexual health and increase education about the importance of STI testing.”

“Whether it’s because of stigma, access or education, millions of Americans who are at high risk of getting or transmitting an STI are not getting tested,” an expert said. (iStock)

Everlywell is teaming up with the American Sexual Health Association for the first-ever National Get Tested Day on Sept. 30.

“Testing is the first step in empowering people with important information about their sexual health.”

“Our goal is to educate and break down barriers to accessing this essential health care,” Gaviola said. 

“Testing is the first step in empowering people with important information about their sexual health.”

Sexual health experts encourage routine STI testing, even for people in long-term, monogamous relationships. (iStock)

Gaviola added that even people in long-term, monogamous relationships should stay up to date on STI testing.

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“Many STIs don’t present any symptoms, but if left undetected and untreated, they can lead to serious long-term health issues, such as infertility,” he cautioned.

The expert encouraged Americans to have open conversations with their partners before entering a sexual relationship and to “keep checking in.”

“This helps establish trust that they are taking their sexual health as seriously as you are by getting tested regularly,” he said.

Bestselling author Jack Carr, a former Navy SEAL sniper and military leader, is right now traveling the country to discuss his new nonfiction book, “Targeted: The 1983 Beirut Barracks Bombing,” the first in a new series about key terror events around the globe.

For him, the new book — a nonfiction work of military history — is the result of the highly focused new mission he took on after leaving the world of U.S. Special Forces and matching this new mission in life with a longtime passion for writing.

Carr spent 20 years on SEAL teams.

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The veteran’s turn to literary endeavors produced novels featuring James Reece, his protagonist, first in “The Terminal List” and then in such New York Times bestselling novels as “True Believer,” “Savage Son,” “The Devil’s Hand,” “In the Blood,” “Only the Dead” and more.  

But none of this was a snap. It took mental focus, a key set of decisions and perseverance, he shared. (See the video at the top of this article.)  

With Veterans Day already on the horizon this fall, Carr spoke to Fox News Digial in an on-camera interview about the importance for anyone moving from the military world to the civilian to chart a new course — and how he was able to carve his own meaningful path. 

As a Navy SEAL Task Unit commander and sniper, Carr had deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

“I can only talk from my own experience,” he said. “But I recognized as I was getting ready to leave the SEAL teams that it was a hard place to leave.”

“They can have a hard time leaving this foundation.”

He said, “Meaning, someone has put in their papers to [move] out [of Special Forces] or move into the private sector. And they can have a hard time leaving this foundation.” 

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“It was almost like a foundation of cement and their feet were on it and it was drying all around them — and they couldn’t move forward,” he said. “They couldn’t build on that foundation because they were stuck in it because it was just so powerful.”

Carr said, “This was five years or 10 years or 15 or 20 — however long they’d spent in the military in Special Operations. It was a very powerful few years, and it’s hard to move on from something like that.”

Carr, at left, said he’d read many thrillers during his formative years by such authors as Tom Clancy, right, as well as Louis L’Amour, David Morrell, Nelson de Mille and others. They “were my professors in the art of storytelling,” he told Fox News Digital — giving him a foundation for a new phase of life.   (Jack Carr; Getty Images)

The bestselling author noted, “I think people in professional sports deal with it. People in amateur sports deal with it. College athletes, too. You know, anybody making a transition in life, [after the] death of a loved one, divorce, a new job — it can be anything.” 

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He added, “But my experience just happens to be in the SEAL teams. So for me, it was important to identify a mission going forward and a purpose going forward.”

“It was important to identify a mission going forward and a purpose going forward.”

Said Carr, “For me, my mission is taking care of my family.”

He told Fox News Digital, “We have a middle child with really severe special needs. He needs 24/7 full-time care forever. So my mission was kind of handed to me.”

Carr’s newest book is his first nonfiction entry, “Targeted: Beirut,” published this month.  (Mike Stoner Photography; Jack Carr/Simon & Schuster; iStock)

He continued, “I knew that I loved writing. I loved telling stories. I’d trained myself from an early age, inadvertently, just from the fan perspective, by reading David Morrell and Nelson de Mille and Tom Clancy and … all these guys who were essentially giants in the thriller space back when I was growing up in my formative years.” 

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He said that he’d given himself “this education, and those were my professors in the art of storytelling.” 

It was critical, Carr said, to “identify that mission and identify a passion — [for me], writing and then the mission, taking care of the family, and then combining those two.”

Carr during his years of military service to the United States of America. (Simon & Schuster)

So “that passion, that mission, can give you purpose going forward.” 

He said, “It’s going to be different for everyone. But for me, it was very important, too, because I recognized how difficult it was to leave this organization that I was in and turn that page.”

And so “for me, mission and passion combined — for me, anyway. I’m not saying it’s going to work for everybody.”

But “that was a very natural thing for me to do.”

“And it has given me purpose in life going forward.”

Brittany Kasko of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.