New Hampshire Dad, 54, in ICU with 3 Mosquito-Bourne Viruses, Including EEE

Mar. 15, 2025

Stock image of a mosquito.Photo:Getty

Getty

A New Hampshire man has tested positive for three mosquito-bourne illnesses — including EEE — and his family said he’s now fighting for his life in the ICU.

Joe Casey, 54, is on a ventilator at Exeter Hospital, and has tested positive foreastern equine encephalitis(EEE),West Nile Virus, andSt. Louis encephalitis— all mosquito-bourne illnesses. But as his sister-in-law Angela Barker toldCBS News, “They don’t know which one is making him this sick."

The father of four from Kensington began to feel ill in August, Barker says.

“My brother-in-law is not a small man, and to see someone that you love be as sick as he is and not be able to talk, to move, to communicate for over three weeks is terrifying and gut-wrenching,” Barker told the outlet.

The family has established aGoFundMefor Casey, sharing that “For the past several weeks, Joe has been in the ICU on a ventilator, has undergone a tracheotomy and remains under 24 hour constant care. These medical expenses will add up, in addition to continued rehabilitation care which will prohibit Joe from going back to work for an unknown amount of time.”

Stock image of a mosquito.Getty

There are currently four cases of EEE in the United States, according to data from theCenters for Disease Control.

As theCDCexplains, “although rare, eastern equine encephalitis is very serious. Approximately 30% of people with eastern equine encephalitis die, and many survivors have ongoing neurologic problems.”

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West Nile is more widespread, according tocurrent CDC data,with 289 cases identified so far this year. But that number may be higher, as theCDCsays 8 out of 10 people do not develop symptoms.

West Nile symptoms, if they do develop, can be as mild as “headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash,” the CDC says, or in more severe cases, can develop into “severe illness affecting the central nervous system such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord).”

St. Louis encephalitis is the most rare of the three illnesses, withrecent CDC datanot including Casey’s diagnosis — which would make him the first person identified with it this year.

Like West Nile, St. Louis encephalitis can be mild — or progress to a neuroinvasive disease.

As Barker told the outlet, “Joe is going to have to go a long-term care and patient rehabilitation, that’s going to be 24-hour care."

source: people.com