A 41-year-old Hampstead, New Hampshire man is the latest victim of the deadly Eastern equine encephalitis virus .
The family of Steven Scott Perry confirmed in his obituary that their loved one passed away at Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday Aug. 19 after falling ill with “a sudden and rare brain infection.” He was healthy and had no underlying medical conditions, his family told affiliate NBC Boston.
A funeral director speaking for the family confirmed that the cause of Perry’s infection was EEE . “Steven will forever be in our hearts, remembered for his warmth, spirit, and love he shared with all who knew him,” Perry’s family said in his obituary.
Perry’s death is just the latest in a string of cases of EEE as New England health officials scramble to deal with the rising threat of the disease. New Hampshire has not seen a case of EEE since 2014 and health officials cannot be certain exactly where Perry contracted the disease.
As of Tuesday, Aug. 27 officials had not detected EEE in mosquito samples within the town of Hampstead. “We know it’s around the area, we just haven’t had a positive batch in town,” said Hampstead Chief Building Official Kristopher Emerson.
EEE is rare but has a high potential for death in those it infects with about 30% of people infected with the disease dying, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services tracks the spread of all mosquito-borne viruses present in the state including EEE, West Nile Virus and Jamestown Canyon Virus. The department in its last update earlier this month raised the risk level for such illnesses in several communities near Lake Winnipesaukee to moderate or high risk.
Health officials have also raised the risk level for several communities along the Massachusetts border. While public officials throughout New England continue to contend with the virus, friends and family of Steven Scott Perry their memories.
“Everybody will remember him differently. But he was a young vibrant guy even at 41 years old,” said Perry’s neighbor Roger Fletcher. "I really don’t know what to make of it. You’re not used to that kind of thing happening, it’s really sad.”
Human cases of EEE have been found in both Massachusetts and Vermont with officials in Massachusetts spraying pesticide on the ground and in the air earlier this week. New Hampshire officials were distributing flyers on Wednesday warning residents of planned mosquito spraying at fields in the Hampstead area on Friday.
Dr. Catherine Brown of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said climate change is a major factor in the rise of mosquito-borne illnesses citing warming temperatures, changes in migratory bird patterns and changes in precipitation.
People over the age of 50 and young children are at the highest risk of EEE according to experts. The threat of mosquito-borne illnesses is expected to linger into the fall months until the winter frost kills the mosquito population.
Officials are urging people throughout New England to take precautions to protect themselves, including using bug spray, wearing long sleeves and pants and avoiding outdoor activities when mosquitoes are active if possible.
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