Newsdate: August 17, 2020, 11:00 am
Location: CANTON, New York

The St. Lawrence County Public Health Department has been notified that a horse in the Rossie area has tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus, also known as Triple E or EEE. This comes after last week’s notification of horses testing positive for Triple E in Jefferson County.

Veterinarian vaccinating horse - Best protection from EEE

Public Health Dept. warns of eastern equine encephalitis found in Rossie-area horse in St Lawrence County, New York.
© 2016 by Kondrashov MIkhail Evgenevich New window.

One additional horse in Jefferson County has tested positive since the initial notification—all five of these horses were exhibiting similar symptoms and were euthanized.

Triple E is a very rare virus that causes swelling of the brain (encephalitis). EEE virus is spread by mosquitoes that affect people and horses. Symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, behavioral changes, drowsiness, and coma.

People at greatest risk of developing severe disease are those over 50 years of age and younger than 15 years of age. There is no specific treatment available for Triple E.

The St. Lawrence County Public Health Department is working with local, regional and state experts on reducing the risk of Triple E. County residents are advised to take steps to reduce the number of mosquitoes around their home or property, eliminate standing water in yards, and make sure all windows and doors have screens that are in good repair.

Additionally, St. Lawrence County residents are urged to:

• Wear socks, shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when outside for a long period of time.
• Use mosquito repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, or IR3535 to prevent mosquito bites.
• Do NOT put the repellent direction onto children. Put it on your hands first then apply it to your child.
• Do NOT put repellent on your face. Wash skin and clothing after returning indoors.
• Make sure roof gutters drain properly and clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall.
• Empty, turn over, or throw out any items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers. This eliminates places for mosquitos to lay eggs.
• Keep horses and other livestock in protected areas during dusk and dawn hours when mosquitoes are most active 
• Clear vegetation and waste from the edge of ponds.
• Horse owners should talk to their veterinarian about vaccination against Triple E.

Press release by St. Lawrence County Public Health Department