New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has declared a rare, mosquito-borne viral illness called Eastern equine encephalitis an imminent public health threat, The New York Times reported Sept. 23.
The declaration comes after the first New Yorker diagnosed with EEE since 2015 died this month. Details about the infected person have not been released. The case comes after a man in New Hampshire also contracted and died of the virus in August. The CDC said 10 cases have been reported so far this year, including cases in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin.
Ms. Hochul said the state's parks agency is going to make mosquito repellent available to visitors at its offices and campgrounds, post signs to raise awareness of EEE and possibly limit park hours and camping availability during peak mosquito activity to combat the disease's spread.