New York Resident Dies of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Infection

The first person to be diagnosed with Eastern equine encephalitis in New York in nearly a decade has died, prompting Gov. Kathy Hochul to declare the rare, mosquito-borne viral illness an imminent public health threat on Monday.

Ms. Hochul announced the death, in Ulster County, in a news release outlining the steps that state officials are taking to reduce New Yorkers’ risk of exposure to the disease, also known as E.E.E.

The death in New York appears to be the second linked to E.E.E. this year in the United States. The first involved a 41-year-old New Hampshire man who died in August. Human cases of the disease have also been reported this year in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Vermont and Wisconsin, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ten human cases of E.E.E. had been reported nationwide as of Sept. 17, before the New York case was confirmed, according to the C.D.C.

New York officials have not provided details about the Ulster County resident, who was confirmed as having the illness on Sept. 20. The infection was the first human case of E.E.E. in New York since 2015.

To combat the disease’s spread, Ms. Hochul said, the state’s parks agency will make mosquito repellent available to visitors at its offices, visitor centers and campgrounds; post signs at parks and historic sites to raise awareness about E.E.E.; and consult with local health departments about limiting park hours and camping availability during times of peak mosquito activity.