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Rare eastern equine encephalitis has killed 9 people in the U.S. in 2019

31 of the 103 mosquito-borne brain infections in the past decade have occurred in 2019

Mosquitoes can spread the virus that causes eastern equine encephalitis. This microscope image shows a mosquito’s salivary glands infected with the EEE virus (red).

Fred Murphy, Sylvia Whitfield/CDC

By Sofie Bates

The worst outbreak of eastern equine encephalitis since U.S. health officials began monitoring the mosquito-borne disease 15 years ago is prompting aerial bug spraying and dire warnings to avoid the biting insects well into fall.