Vermont Health Commissioner, Dr. Mark Levine, addressed the states’ first reported death since 2012 on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
The officials stated that the deceased was a 70-year-old male residing in the Chittenden County of Vermont, who was hospitalized in late August. He reportedly passed away at the hospital the next month, in September.
Speaking on the death, the state health commissioner said, “I extend my condolences to the family and all impacted by this sad event. This is a heartbreaking reminder that while infection with the virus that causes EEE remains rare, this disease can have serious consequences.”
This case marks Vermont’s second reported EEE case in 2024, with the first one reported earlier in August, who recovered later.
In his statement, Dr. Levine also said that unfortunately there is no treatment available for the infectious disease uptil now, and if someone gets infected, the healthcare staff can only provide “supportive care.”
“While I want them to be reassured the risk remains low, and it’s even a little lower because of the weather, I don’t want them to feel like it’s absent. Certainly, in the communities that we’ve labeled as high risk, because of a case of triple-e or because of the mosquito trap data, people should still use precautions,” he added.
As per the Health Department, safety precautions for EEE includes using EPA registered repellant, wearing full covering clothes, and staying inside in the evening.
