In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
So impressed with the improvements in election administration in St. Johns County,, 2006-2014! There's more to do, my friends.
SJC now has nine (9) early voting locations, including West Augustine.
As of 11:00 AM today, Friday, November 1, 2024, some 57% of all 230,160 SJC voters have voted, one week before the election. Mail-in ballots and early voting are voter-friendly and relieve the time and schedule pressures on voters that once existed. We're complying with the 15th Amendment and Voting Rights Act. We're doing it right, in a place the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. called "the most lawless" in America.
Thank you, Victoria Oakes, SJC Election Supervisor.
Background: I once raised concerns about SJC Supervisor of Elections compliance issues, reporting them to the Voting Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department. Those concerns have now been heard and heeded. Thank you, Victoria Oakes, our elected SJC Supervisor of Elections!
Footnote: As an undergraduate at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, I was an antitrust paralegal at a Washington, D.C. law firm, hired by the late St. John Barrett, who was the career Deputy in the Civil Rights Division from 1957-1967: he told me inspiring stories about DOJ's effort to bring the Rule of Law to live in American governments (his memoirs make interesting reading).
What's next: 1. Why not follow Duval County's example and have early voting on the Sunday before Election Day? That will make voting more accessible to people who work six days a week. 2. Why not close our county schools for primary and general election days, as suggested by elected Duval County Election Supervisory Election Supervisor Jerry Holland, following the example of Broward County. That will save money and improve the process.
Here are my updated responses to the WJCT (NPR affiliate) and Jacksonville Today questions on my candidacy to be a Commissioner of the Anastasia Mosquito Control Commission of St. Johns County (AMCD), Seat 1:
Age
67
Background
A summary of the candidate's background
I've lived in St. Johns County since November 5, 1999 -- 25 years ago. First visited in 1992. Fell in love with St. Augustine, its history and nature. "We, the People" love this magical place and I have worked to preserve, protect and defend our democracy, our precious historic and environmental heritage. Let me use my problem-solving abilities to protect the people of St. Johns County. In 2006-2007, I helped persuade the five person board of our independent mosquito district to cancel an unwise, illegal, no-bid, supposedly "sole source" luxury $1.8 million helicopter contract with Bell Helicopter. It took nine months of effort. Finally, after replacing several attorneys, our mosquito control district commissioners listened. We, the People in St. Johns County were finally heard and heeded. AMCD won a full refund of our 10% deposit to the helicopter manufacturer. My dad told me, as JFK's dad told him, that you have to stand up to people with power, or else they walk all over you. At age 26, as Appalachian Observer Editor, I won Department of Energy declassification of our frail planet's largest-ever mercury pollution event (Oak Ridge, Tenn. Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Plant), a national scandal, triggering nationwide cleanups; our Appalachian Observer newspaper was recommended for a Pulitzer Prize by Anderson County DA. Clerked for USDOL Chief Administrative Law Judge Nahum Litt and Judge Charles Rippey. Intern and junior staffer for Senators Ted Kennedy, Gary Hart & Jim Sasser. B.S.F.S., Georgetown University.; J.D., Memphis State U. (now University of Memphis). Advocate for worker rights. Your watchdog, termed an "environmental hero" by FOLIO WEEKLY (after reporting City of St. Augustine's illegal dumping of 40,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from a landfill in a lake). Helped encourage state and federal governments to remedy the City's illegal dumping and illegal sewage effluent pollution in our saltwater marsh). Shall we ask questions, demand answers & expect democracy? It is up to us.
How do you believe the role on the Anastasia Mosquito Control District can best be used to benefit the residents of St. Johns County?
In 1943, my dad was infected with malaria when he was bitten by a mosquito in Sicily, as an 82nd ABN DIVN paratrooper: he recovered in Army hospitals, but suffered lifetime effects. The mosquito is the most dangerous animal on Earth, killing some 600,000 people annually. Controlling fatal disease-spreading mosquitoes requires both good government and good science -- asking questions, getting answers and expecting democracy. Let's help make our Anastasia Mosquito Control District of St. Johns County work wisely and safely. To protect our way of life, we must assure that AMCD will practice good science and safeguard our tax dollars, protecting public health, the environment and public funds, advancing research and education while protecting scientific integrity and employee whistleblower rights; We must safeguard the independence of AMCD, an independent scientific and technical organization. We must assure that "whistleblower" ethical employees are heard and heeded whenever they raise concerns. Let's resist any further effort by the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners to take over independent AMCD, as was attempted by misguided leaders, misled by a longtime former SJC County Administrator, fired in 2019. I opposed hiring of any more AMCD lawyers without Florida Bar Journal ads and thorough statewide searches and vetting. I oppose evergreen audit contracts. I oppose arbitration clauses in AMCD contracts: the late Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist said that the Seventh Amendment right to civil jury trial ia "bulwark against oppression." Yes, I've been a watchdog of mosquito control environmental protection and spending since December 2006.
Why?
Why should voters choose you?
I am the only child of well-read working class parents. My dad was an 82nd ABN DIVN paratrooper who helped liberate the first French town from Nazi oppression, taking it back before the sun rose on June 6, 1944. I am blessed that my parents, my teachers and my mentors taught me to ask questions, demand answers and expect democracy. I support strong effective mosquito control measures, advancing research and education while protecting scientific integrity and employee whistleblower rights; safeguarding the independence of AMCD. AMCD must remain an independent scientific and technical organization; protecting public health, the environment and public funds. Let's assure that "whistleblower" ethical employees are heard and heeded whenever they raise concerns. Let's resist any further effort by the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners to take over independent AMCD, as attempted by a misguided former SJC County Administrator. I oppose allowing arbitration clauses in AMCD and other government contracts, Yes, I've been a watchdog of mosquito control environmental protection and spending since December 2006. Yes, it is up to us to do this right.
Biggest issue
What is the biggest issue the Mosquito Control District faces? How do you propose the district combat it?
Overdevelopment, flooding and climate change. The University of Florida's Institute on Emerging Pathogens identifies "development" as one of three (3) co-factors to the growth of mosquito-borne diseases in Florida. Mosquito control issues must be considered in St. Johns County's comprehensive plan and development application approvals. Is our St. Johns County government rubber-stamping overdevelopment? You tell me. Some 33 neighborhoods suffer from excessive flooding, much of it due to poor planning, with some approved by a titled County Engineer, who was not a licensed engineer. Mosquito control scientists must be heard and heeded on the effects on public health of sticking large subdivisions adjoining swamps. Too often, governments chill and retaliate against free speech. Too often, people in government are discouraged from speaking out and doing their jobs "too well." Let's base public policy on good science and protect our free speech rights as Americans. As the late U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy said, "If our Constitution had followed the style of Saint Paul, the First Amendment might have concluded--"But the greatest of these is speech." In the darkness of tyranny, this is the key to the sunlight. If it is granted, all doors open. If it is withheld, none." Mosquito control employee free speech rights must be protected and not neglected: no illegal gag orders. We're protecting public health and combatting deadly mosquito-borne diseases, using natural and chemical pesticides and three helicopters. Let's do it right, with good science and sound management. I would be honored to have your vote.
My response to WJXT (News4Jax) questions re: my candidacy for Anastasia Mosquito Control Board of St. Johns County, Seatt 1:
Ed Slavin
Occupation: Retired
Age: 67
Family: My parents, the late Ed and Mary Slavin, helped organize unions. Dad survived malaria in WWII (South Jersey Chapter of 82nd ABN DIVN ASSN named “CPL Edward A. Slavin Chapter” in his honor). My father got malaria in Sicily WWII as an 82nd ABN DIVN paratrooper. My parents taught me, as JFK’s parents taught him, that you have to stand up to people with power or they walk all over you. When AMCD bought a no-bid luxury $1.8 million Bell luxury jet helicopter in 2006, I counted on my mom’s advice as a former purchasing secretary at Camden County College in South Jersey. Our Mosquito Control District got a full refund of our deposit and we learned a valuable lesson about the need for frugality and competitive bidding.
Education: B.S.F.S., Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. J.D., Memphis State University Law School (now University of Memphis).
Political experience: Your watchdog, called an “environmental hero” by Folio Weekly.
What do you see as the top three issues in this race, and how do you plan to address them?
Advancing research and education while protecting scientific integrity and free speech rights; safeguarding the independence of AMCD as an independent scientific and technical organization; protecting public health, the environment and wisely spending public funds. How? Asking questions and encouraging open, honest transparent government.
How can you help voters in a way that others running for this office cannot?
Long experience as a watchdog of mosquito control and environmental protection here in St. Johns County, including helping persuade AMCD Commissioners to vote 5-0 in 2007 to cancel contract for illegal, no-bid $1.8 million purchase of a luxury jet helicopter, resulting in a full refund. Longtime advocate for government accountability and protection of worker and citizen rights.
What would you hope to be remembered for accomplishing after serving in this office?
Inspiring better informed decisionmaking on spending and on environmental, safety, health and scientific issues.
To St. Johns County voters: May I please have the honor of your vote -- either early, or on November 5, 2024 -- for a seat as Commissioner of the Anastasia Mosquito District of St. Johns County, Seat 1?
Here's my Q&A with the League of Women Voters:
What motivated you to run for office?
It's our money. I've been a watchdog on mosquito control since 2006. Mosquitoes could bring us the next global pandemic. We will be prepared with data, research, education, and environmentally-friendly, non-toxic natural pesticides. My dad was an 82nd Airborne Division paratrooper, infected with malaria in Sicily. Dad recovered in Army hospitals, but we saw dad suffer lifetime effects. LWV's Ms. Robin Nadeau asked me to help her investigate Anastasia Mosquito Control of St. Johns County, buying a $1.8 million no-bid, luxury Bell Jet Long Ranger helicopter incapable of killing a single skeeter, not unlike buying a Porsche to use with a snowplow. We persuaded AMCD to cancel illegal, no-bid helicopter contract, saving $1.8 million in 2007.
What do you see as the most pressing issues for this office and how do you propose to address them? Advancing research and education while protecting scientific integrity and employee whistleblower rights; safeguarding the independence of AMCD, an independent scientific and technical organization; protecting public health, the environment and public funds. Let's assure that "whistleblower" ethical employees are heard and heeded whenever they raise concerns. Let's resist any further effort by the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners to take over independent AMCD, as attempted by former SJC County Administrator Michael Wanchick and County Commission Chairmen. I oppose allowing arbitration clauses in AMCD contracts, Yes, I've been a watchdog of mosquito control environmental protection and spending since December 2006. What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position? Helped persuade our independent mosquito district to cancel unwise, no-bid luxury $1.8 million helicopter contract. Won declassification of our frail planet's largest-ever mercury pollution event (Oak Ridge, Tenn. Y-12 Nuclear Weapons Plant),triggering nationwide cleanups; recommended for Pulitzer Prize by DA. Clerked for USDOL Chief Administrative Law Judge Nahum Litt and Judge Charles Rippey. Staffer for Senators Ted Kennedy, Gary Hart & Jim Sasser. B.S.F.S., Georgetown U.; J.D., Memphis State U. Your watchdog, termed an "environmental hero" by FOLIO WEEKLY (after reporting City's illegal dumping of landfill in lake and illegal sewage effluent pollution of our saltwater marsh). Shall we ask questions, demand answers & expect democracy?
How important are environmental concerns when making decisions for the Anastasia Mosquito Control District? Very important Explain your answer. Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring" informs good science and use of non-toxic natural pesticides as much as possible. Amid global climate change, the next pandemic could be a mosquito-borne disease. Let's protect AMCD independence, education and applied research to protect public health and our environment. I support AMCD's leadership on natural pesticides. I once reported FEMA and AMCD to federal environmental law officials when bald eagles were exposed to organophosphate pesticides. Support AMCD working with other mosquito control districts and officials to share scientific knowledge to protect all of us "non-target species": mosquito control workers, residents, tourists, pets, horses, livestock, bees and other pollinators, flora and fauna. St. Johns County is growing rapidly. How does this impact the management of mosquito control? Overdevelopment increases the expense of mosquito control and increases exposure of families to mosquitoes from wetlands. St. Johns County Commissioners, developers and their big money clout decide way too many unwise development decisions. This requires our nimble small mosquito control special taxing district to innovate, with sensitive adaptation of mosquito control techniques to protect entire new neighborhoods, which seem to spring up overnight, adjoining wetlands. Public education, applied research, sound science-based policies and non-toxic mosquito control methods, are all essential to protecting public health from mosquito-borne diseases. AMCD exists to prevent any outbreaks of deadly mosquito-borne diseases. We must do it right!
UF Emerging Pathogens Institute identifies "development" as one of the co-factors contributing to increased mosquito-borne diseases. St. Johns County has allowed "developers" carte blanche to "develop" in and near swamps. County Commission must discuss and debate new development applications in that context. Now. I would be honored to have your vote for a seat on our Anastasia Mosquito Control Commission, Seat 1. From University of Florida Emerging Pathogens Institute:
Florida’s mosquitoes can make you sick: Here’s how to protect yourself
PUBLISHED ON
SOCIAL MEDIA
These mosquitoes are engorged with blood. Mosquitoes can pass on pathogens when they take a bloodmeal. (UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones)
Highlights:
Florida is home to several mosquito species that can spread potentially life-threatening diseases, including dengue and malaria.
Climate change, development and global travel can influence the transmission of mosquito-borne diseases in Florida.
Floridians can manage their risk of these diseases by reducing mosquito habitat around their homes, wearing protective clothing and using insect repellants.
UF EPI experts are identifying new, effective ways to repel mosquitoes and developing predictive models of Florida’s disease transmission risk.
Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance. They can also pass on pathogens through their bites, potentially causing serious illness.
Florida’s subtropical climate and variety of habitat make it a haven for mosquitoes. As a hub for tourism and global travel, the state can act as a petri dish for mosquito-borne diseases, including those from other parts of the world.
Mosquito season runs from March to October in Florida, and mosquitoes are most active when temperatures are in the upper 70s to 90s.
As Florida enters peak mosquito season, experts from the University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute outline key mosquito species and diseases to know; changes in the state’s disease risk and transmission trends; and the most effective ways to protect yourself.
“Every mosquito bite is a chance to get infected,” said medical geographer Sadie Ryan, an associate professor in UF’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and an EPI member. “It’s important to be aware of local disease risks and take preventative measures to protect yourself.”
Mapping that showcases the number of months when Florida temperatures are suitable for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes to transmit viruses that cause these diseases (Credit: Sadie J. Ryan)
Four mosquito species that transmit disease in Florida
The vast majority of mosquito species pose no threat to human health, said insect toxicologist Daniel Swale, the EPI Associate Director for Training and Special Projects and an associate professor in UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
The yellow fever mosquito, also known as Aedes aegypti, can transmit the viruses that cause dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika. This species lives throughout Florida. (UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones)
“Most of the mosquitoes we have across the world are actually not blood feeders,” Swale said. “They just feed on nectar or plant materials.”
Four Florida mosquito species, however, are important vectors of human disease and are common around homes throughout the state. They are the yellow fever mosquito, known scientifically as Aedes aegypti; the Asian tiger mosquito, or Aedes albopictus; the southern house mosquito, or Culex quinquefasciatus; and the common malaria mosquito, or Anopheles quadrimaculatus.
Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus are daytime biters. Ae. albopictus is more aggressive and most active in the early morning and late afternoon. Cx. quinquefasciatus is primarily active at dawn, dusk and nighttime, though it will also feed during the day. All three species lay their eggs in standing water in pots, abandoned tires, pet dishes, toys, ditches and untreated pools. An. quadrimaculatus bites at dawn, dusk and night, and prefers to breed in freshwater streams, ponds and lakes.
Mosquitoes aren’t the only nuisance biting insects in Florida, said insect toxicologist Jeffrey Bloomquist, a professor in UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and an EPI member. Biting midges, also known as “no-see-ums,” can also be an annoyance, especially in the morning and evening.
Dengue, malaria top list of important mosquito-borne diseases in Florida
Mosquitoes are considered the deadliest animals on the planet, transmitting diseases such as dengue, malaria, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika.
The Asian tiger mosquito, also known as Aedes albopictus, can transmit the viruses that cause dengue and eastern equine encephalitis. This species lives throughout Florida. (UF/IFAS Photo by James Newman)
Because Florida is a global travel hub, Floridians and tourists alike can unwittingly transport pathogens into the state and introduce them to local mosquito populations. The Florida Department of Health actively monitorscases of mosquito-borne diseases in the state, both those acquired abroad and locally. The FDOH also tests Florida mosquitoes for key pathogens, as well as animals such as birds and horses for antibodies that indicate they have recently been infected with a mosquito-borne disease.
Dengue and malaria are particularly important in Florida. The pathogens that cause these potentially lethal illnesses can be spread by local mosquitoes, meaning a person could contract them without travelling outside the state.
In fact, dengue and malaria were common in Florida until the late 1940s, when widespread mosquito control and modern conveniences like air conditioning and screened windows reduced transmission. Without these developments, “Florida would be uninhabitable by most people,” Bloomquist said.
Florida tends to experience small annual outbreaks of dengue, with five locally acquired cases in Miami-Dade and Pasco Counties reported to the FDOH this year so far. Both Ae. aegyptiand Ae. albopictus mosquitoes are capable of transmitting the viruses that cause dengue, and cases are most common in South Florida. Ryan said scientists have recently identified two different types of dengue viruses in Florida mosquitoes, raising the possibility of serious illness.
“When you have an infection with one strain of dengue, and then you get a secondary infection with another strain, it’s much more likely to result in severe dengue symptoms,” she said.
If living in or travelling to Florida counties with recent cases of dengue, take extra precautions to protect yourself from mosquito bites. “See your doctor if you experience a sudden, horrific fever and purple rash, and ask if you could have dengue,” Ryan advised.
An. quadrimaculatus can transmit malaria in Florida. In 2023, seven malaria cases in the Sarasota area were the first cases acquired within the state since 2003 and triggered a statewide alert. Though malaria outbreaks tend to be limited, “with Florida being a tourist destination, I don’t think it’s a far stretch to say we’ll see it again,” Swale said.
The southern house mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, vectors eastern equine encephalitis, St. Louis encephalitis and West Nile virus. While uncommon in Florida, these can be serious diseases in humans. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)
“Once we relax our prevention, or we get used to living in this land that has been so well manipulated, we tend to forget that malaria is a risk,” Ryan added.
Less common mosquito-borne diseases can still be severe
While very rare in Florida, West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis and eastern equine encephalitis are severe illnesses that can spill over from infected animals to people and may cause severe neurological symptoms, Ryan said. Cx. quinquefasciatus can transmit West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis from infected birds, and a variety of mosquito species can pick up eastern equine encephalitis virus from birds and infect horses and people. A vaccine for horses is available.
“These diseases may be much rarer in terms of numbers, but they’re very severe, and the symptoms are truly scary,” Ryan said. “For healthcare providers, if people show up with neurological complications of unknown origin, keep in mind that these are possibilities.”
Ae. aegypti can also spread chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika. Florida’s first locally acquired cases of chikungunya were reported in 2014, with no known cases since then. The yellow fever virus is not consistently present in Florida, and transmission of Zika virus has been limited since the 2016 outbreak, said Swale.
How can you protect yourself from mosquitoes?
A simple way of reducing mosquitoes is to limit their access to standing water, which is where they breed.
While mosquitoes abound in Florida’s swamps, marshes and wetlands, they have also made homes for themselves in the state’s most developed areas. Ryan cited a recent study that showed the more urbanized parts of the Miami-Dade area are primarily occupied by Culex and Aedes mosquitoes, both important vectors of disease.
“We’re selecting for mosquitoes that really enjoy the urban environment and can carry on cycling those pathogens with us,” Ryan said. “That also points to potential places for intervention and prevention.”
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water, which hatch into larvae like these. Getting rid of standing water around your house can reduce mosquito numbers. (UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones)
You can tamp down mosquito numbers by emptying excess water from containers, disposing of spare tires and making sure gutters are clean.
“Dumping out containers, tyke toys, plant pots, kiddie pools and other small areas in the yard that can hold water can really help control a lot of mosquitoes around your residence,” Swale said.
Repellants such as DEET and picaridin can help boost personal protection. DEET is safe, effective and long-lasting, and it remains the universal gold standard of insect repellants, Swale said.
“DEET has been used globally for more than 70 years and is the best repellant we have had on the market since the 1950s,” Swale said. It is highly effective against mosquitoes and also provides some protection against ticks, gnats and biting midges.
Research by Bloomquist and Swale has shown DEET poses few to no health risks when applied as directed. Follow the label instructions, and spray children’s clothing and strollers rather than applying repellants directly to their skin, Swale said.
Repellants derived from natural ingredients such as citronella, lemongrass and vanilla can also be effective for short periods of time.
Clothing treated with synthetic chemicals known as pyrethroids can also ward away nuisance biters, Bloomquist said. Spraying a hat can help protect your head and neck. Do not spray pyrethroids on your skin, Bloomquist cautioned. At peak biting times for mosquitoes, wear long sleeves and tuck pants into socks.
“Everybody hates nuisance biting,” Bloomquist said. “If you protect yourself with repellents, or mosquito protective clothing, you’ll get an extra layer of protection against mosquito-borne diseases.”
Bloomquist has developed a new natural repellant derived from pyrethrins, compounds in chrysanthemum flowers that have been used to control insects for centuries. More effective than DEET, the repellant provides robust protection against mosquitoes and ticks, he said.
“It can go on the market as soon as someone wants to license the patent and develop it,” Bloomquist said.
Climate change could affect Florida’s risk for mosquito-borne diseases
Warming temperatures caused by climate change are allowing mosquitoes to expand their range and lengthen their seasons of activity. But the effects of climate change on mosquitoes and their potential to transmit pathogens are not uniform, and it is not the only factor driving shifts in disease risk, Ryan said.
Changes in land use and the allocation of disease resources and surveillance, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, are also influencing the risk and transmission of mosquito-borne diseases globally.
A female common malaria mosquito, Anopheles quadrimaculatus, drinks blood from a human. Females need a blood meal to develop their eggs. This mosquito species can pass on the parasites that cause malaria. (Lauren Bishop/CDC)
“There’s not a one-size-fits-all prediction model,” Ryan said. “In a warming world, mosquito-borne diseases will move at different paces, and their seasonality will shift differently.”
The general trend, she said, is that areas at risk for mosquito-borne disease transmission are pushing northwards and southwards with warmer temperatures. Longer mosquito seasons can increase the abundance of mosquitoes, potentially leading to more bites and more incidence of disease. Large-scale weather phenomena such as El Niño can also generate bigger, more severe outbreaks.
According to Ryan’s projection models, Florida is staying warmer longer, increasing hospitable conditions for disease-transmitting mosquitoes where they already thrive and allowing them to move northwards over time.
“In a way, we’re sort of like the natural lab experiment,” Ryan said.
While these shifts could put more strain on health departments and mosquito control efforts, Florida offers a model for how to reactively manage vector-borne disease, she said. When malaria cases cropped up in 2023, the state increased mosquito surveillance and control.
“Other states may not be as prepared as climate change shifts suitability northwards,” Ryan said. “We may see more opportunity for outbreaks that can’t be controlled quickly.”
Also on Ryan’s radar is the rise of a new malaria mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, which has expanded beyond its native range in India and the Middle East and is now as far west as Ghana. It now readily breeds in containers and urban areas, and much of the Americas would be suitable habitat for the species.
“If it shows up in an American port, are we ready for it?” Ryan said.
The Hampstead resident's infection was the first in the state in a decade, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday. The resident, whom the department only identified as an adult, had been hospitalized due to severe central nervous system symptoms, the department said.
About a third of people who develop encephalitis from the virus die from the infection, and survivors can suffer lifelong mental and physical disabilities. There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment available for infections, which can cause flu-like symptoms and lead to severe neurological disease along with inflammation of the brain and membranes around the spinal cord.
“When it does cause an infection, it is very, very severe. Although it’s a very rare infection, we have no treatment for it,” said Dr. Richard Ellison, immunologist and infectious disease specialist at University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center. “Once someone gets it, it’s just — all we can do is provide supportive care, and it can kill people.”
Nationally, the burden of eastern equine encephalitis can vary from year to year. There are typically about 11 human cases in the U.S. per year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were seven cases nationally last year, but more than 30 in 2019, which was a historically bad year in which at least a dozen patients died, according to federal data.
The 2019 outbreak included six deaths among 12 confirmed cases in Massachusetts, and the outbreak continued the following year with five more cases and another death. Two of the three people infected in New Hampshire in 2014 died.
This year, human infections have been confirmed in New Jersey, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Vermont as well as New Hampshire, according to the CDC.
The New Hampshire health department said the virus has also been detected in one horse and several mosquito batches in New Hampshire this summer. Mosquitoes that carry the virus can sometimes be found in developed areas that used to be swamp land where they can still find habitat, Ellison said.
Public health authorities in states where mosquito-borne infections happen encourage people to take precautions, preventing mosquito bites by using repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants and avoiding outdoor activity in the early morning and evening when mosquitoes are most active. Removing any standing water where mosquitoes breed also is important.
“We believe there is an elevated risk for EEEV infections this year in New England given the positive mosquito samples identified. The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills the mosquitos. Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors,” said New Hampshire epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan.
In Massachusetts, several towns have urged people to avoid going outdoors at night this summer because of concerns over this virus, one of several diseases mosquitoes can spread to humans. Massachusetts authorities planned to begin spraying Tuesday in some communities to prevent the spread.
