The EEE Virus is getting lots of press right now because the number of cases is increasing across the United States. Below, you’ll find maps with detailed information about the EEE Virus.
For those unfamiliar, the EEE Virus (Eastern Equine Encephalitis), which is transmitted via mosquito bites, causes swelling of the brain and has a death rate of 30% to 40%. Symptoms include joint and muscle pain, high fever, headache, vomiting, seizures, meningeal irritation, and convulsions, among others.
Although rare, the infection is a serious health issue that has no cure. There’s an EEE vaccine for humans, but it’s not commercially available because the side effects are so severe. The mosquito-borne illness can be treated, however, the majority of survivors are left with permanent neurological damage.
The CDC says that most cases of EEE have been reported from Florida, Massachusetts, New York, and North Carolina. According to CDC, “EEEV transmission is most common in and around freshwater hardwood swamps in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast states and the Great Lakes region.”
The United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers an interactive map where you can see the number of cases by county and state. Simply click on a county within a specific state to see the total number of Eastern Equine Encephalitis cases in 2019. For example, if you click on Kalamazoo County, MI, you’ll see that there have been three cases of the EEE Virus.
Click on Bristol County in Massachusetts and you’ll that there have also been three cases reported in this area.
You can see the full interactive map here. The map starts out by showing the West Nile Virus, so click on EEE at the top of the map to see the EEE Virus map instead.
Massachusetts EEE Risk Categories Map (updated daily):
Since current risk levels are constantly changing, you should check the Mass.gov website for current data. You can see the map here.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) also provides information and updated maps of EEE Virus activity in the state. Here’s an updated map for October 1:
Additional Information About The EEE Virus in the United States:
- Nine human cases of EEE Virus in Massachusetts.
- Nine human cases and three deaths in Michigan.
- Two cases in Connecticut, both fatal.
- States with the most cases: Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Michigan.
We’ll update this page with more information as it comes in.