Dr. Benjamin Chan, the state epidemiologist, said there is currently a high risk of contracting the EEE virus.

“We believe there is an increased risk of EEEV infection in New England this year because positive mosquito samples have been identified,” he said in a statement. “The risk will remain into the fall until a hard freeze occurs to kill off the mosquitoes. Everyone should take steps to avoid mosquito bites when they are outdoors.”

The death comes amid growing concerns about electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and other mosquito-borne diseases in Massachusetts, where authorities last weekend classified 10 communities as at high or critical risk and announced plans to spray parts of Worcester and Plymouth counties starting Tuesday evening to counter the threat.

“The eight communities in the aerial spray zone are Carver, Halifax, Kingston, Middleborough, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester and Wareham,” the state Department of Health said. “The five communities in the truck spray zone are Douglas, Dudley, Oxford, Sutton and Uxbridge.”

On August 16, Massachusetts health officials said a man in his 80s in Worcester County was exposed to the disease, making this the first human case of EEE in the state since 2020. His condition was not known Tuesday.

EEE is a very rare disease. Since the virus was first identified in Massachusetts in 1938, about 115 cases have been recorded in Massachusetts, officials said. Outbreaks typically occur in Massachusetts every 10 to 20 years, most recently in 2019, when 12 people were infected with EEE. Six of them died.

The outbreak continued in 2020 with five cases, including one death. There were no human cases in Massachusetts in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, EEE is transmitted between mosquitoes and birds and also affects horses.

“Humans and other animals such as horses become infected with the virus when mosquito species that feed on many animal species feed on infected birds and then bite people,” the CDC said in a statement.

According to the DPH, symptoms usually appear three to ten days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

EEE is not contagious among humans, but “rare” cases of transmission have been documented during medical transplants, according to the CDC.

“Humans and other animals are typically infected through bridge vectors (such as mosquitoes) and are considered dead-end hosts,” according to the CDC.

Unlike birds, humans and horses “do not develop high levels of virus in the blood and cannot transmit the virus to other biting mosquitoes.”

There is no treatment for the disease, which authorities say is progressively worsening, with some patients falling into a coma within a week of being infected.

“Those who survive this disease are often left with permanent disabilities,” DPH said. “Few make a full recovery.”

According to the CDC, people over 50, as well as teens and younger children, are most at risk from electrical and electronic devices.

“Persons over 50 years of age and under 15 years of age appear to be at greatest risk for developing severe illness from infection with Eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus,” the CDC says.

Earlier this month, Massachusetts confirmed its first case of EEE this year in a horse that was exposed in Plymouth County.

State health officials advise the public to avoid planning outdoor events between dusk and dawn, as this is when mosquitoes are most active.

According to DPH, it’s best to wear long pants, a long-sleeved shirt and socks when outdoors, even when the mercury is rising.

“This may be difficult in hot weather, but it will help keep mosquitoes away from your skin,” says DPH.

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Travis Andersen can be reached at [email protected].