A man from Hampstead, New Hampshire, died this month after contracting eastern equine encephalitis virus.

Steven Perry, 41, was the first human case of EEEV in the state since 2014 when three people caught it, two of whom died, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services said in a release Tuesday. 

Perry’s death came from a brain infection caused by the mosquito-borne virus on Aug. 19, his family confirmed to Boston ABC affiliate WCVB-TV. 

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Four other cases in Massachusetts, Vermont, Wisconsin and New Jersey have occurred this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC didn’t specify whether any of those patients died. 

EEEV has been detected in one horse and seven observed batches of mosquitoes in New Hampshire in 2024 in addition to Perry, New Hampshire health officials said.

EEEV has two sets of symptoms. Some people develop a fever, chills, body aches and joint pain lasting one to two weeks, with most patients making a full recovery. 

Others suffer neurological conditions, including meningitis, the inflammation of membranes around the brain and spinal cord, and inflammation of the brain itself. Symptoms include seizures, behavioral changes, fever, headache, drowsiness, vomiting, diarrhea and even falling into a coma, according to the CDC.

A third of all people who contract EEEV die as a result, according to the agency.

Those who recover often suffer from long-term mental or physical issues, which can include intellectual disability, personality disorders, seizures and paralysis.

New Hampshire health officials warned that the risk of contracting EEEV from a mosquito bite will remain until the weather shifts later in the year.

Mosquito mitigation includes using bug repellent, wearing sleeves outdoors, avoiding outdoor activities in the early morning and evening hours when mosquitoes are most active, ensuring doors and windows are screened without holes and eliminating any stagnant water that mosquitoes could use to breed.