Massachusetts Woman Dies After Contracting EEE

A Fairhaven woman has died after contracting Eastern equine encephalitis virus, according to social media posts from her family and her husband's union. She's the fourth person to contract the disease in Massachusetts this year.

The Department of Public Health said Sunday a Bristol County woman over the age of 50 contracted the virus, also known as EEE, but did not identify her.

Shortly after the news, a Facebook post on Teamsters Local 59 said Laurie Sylvia, the wife of Local 59 President Robert Sylvia, Jr., had been stricken with the virus. "Laurie’s condition has deteriorated and regrettably the Family is now preparing for the worst," the post said.

Later in the afternoon, Jen Sylvia posted on Facebook Sunday that her mother died.

This is the third outbreak of EEE this decade in the past 15 years. There were 22 confirmed human cases between 2005-06 and 2010-12, the DPH said. The majority of cases have been residents in Bristol and Plymouth counties.

The virus is spread through mosquito bites. The DPH said a fever, stiff neck, headache and lack of energy can occur in the first 3-10 days after the virus in contracted.

There is no treatment, the DPH said.