A horse in Sussex County has tested positive for mosquito-borne Eastern Equine Encephalitis or EEE.
After showing signs of severe neurologic disease, the horse was placed under care of a veterinarian, but did not improve and had to be euthanized.
This is the first case of equine EEE in Delaware since 2005.
It’s the third horse this year to come down with a mosquito-borne disease. The other two - one in Kent County and another in Sussex - had confirmed cases of West Nile Virus and recovered - the first West Nile cases in horses in Delaware since 2003.
To prevent the spread of the virus, state officials are urging equine owners to have their horses vaccinated and to maintain a regular vaccination program against the disease.
DNREC also advises taking measures to reduce mosquito breeding by draining or removing items that collect standing water.
Last week, the state’s Division of Public Health confirmed its first human case of the virus for the year. A woman in her early 20s tested positive for the virus in New Castle County.
Last year, Delaware had nine human cases of West Nile Virus and one death. The state’s worst year was 2003 when 17 cases were reported with two fatalities.
