Camden County, NJ resident positive for mosquito-borne illness that kills horses

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP — A Camden County resident remains hospitalized after testing positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a mosquito-borne illness that rarely impacts humans, officials announced Thursday.

According to the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, the resident was admitted to a hospital displaying symptoms consistent with EEE (which can include a high fever, stiff neck, lack of energy, general muscle pain and a headache), and lab results of a positive test were reported on Sept. 21.

"Only a few human cases are reported each year, and the disease can’t be passed directly from person to person,” said Commissioner Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the health department. “The Camden County Department of Health is continuing to work with the Mosquito Commission to ensure that additional spraying and testing will be conducted in the area.”

Since August, the Garden State has confirmed at least three EEE cases among horses. Most recently, two horses in Atlantic County that had not been vaccinated against EEE were euthanized due to severity of the disease.

The virus cycles between birds and mosquitoes with horses and humans being incidental hosts, according to the New Jersey Department of Health.

Earlier this month, DOH noted an above-average count of West Nile Virus human cases in the state.

A Camden County man in his 60s died of West Nile in July.

Contact reporter Dino Flammia at dino.flammia@townsquaremedia.com.