Health
New York resident dies from mosquito-borne disease as experts warn of widening risk
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.
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“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.”
New York has reported the state’s first death from Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a disease that spreads through bites from mosquitoes. (iStock)
“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.
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.
- Wear long sleeves, pants and socks when outdoors during periods of high mosquito activity, such as dusk or dawn.
- Use insect repellents that contain DEET.
- Ensure that there are screens in all windows and doors.
- Eliminate standing water in outdoor areas where mosquitoes tend to breed.
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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.
In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.
“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.
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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.
“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.
Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)
John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.
After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”
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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.
An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.
John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)
“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”
Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.
“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”
It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.
“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.
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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”
As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)
Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.
The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.
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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”
Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.
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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.
“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)
“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”
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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”
Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.
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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.
That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.
Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.
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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.
Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)
“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”
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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.
In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.
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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”
As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.
Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)
“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.
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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”
“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”
Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.
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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.
“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.
Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)
This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.
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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.
“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”
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