According to a report, a perfectly healthy man from Michigan died in nine days after contracting Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus, a rare mosquito-borne infection.
Gregg McChesney, 64, of Kalamazoo County, died on August 9 after a “nine-day illness,” according to News 8. He reportedly died from EEE, which causes encephalitis or brain infections.
The report said, McChesney “went from perfectly healthy to brain dead” in nine days after contracted EEE. He is the third person who died from EEE in Michigan.
McChesney’s brother, Mark, told the network, “Gregg was [a] perfectly healthy, happy human being and within a matter of nine days, he went from perfectly healthy to brain dead. All of a sudden he had a seizure and next thing you know, he’s in the ER and he just never came out of it.”
After knowing that his brother died of EEE, Mark said, “Right off the bat, we were like: ‘How could this happen? What did happen?.We just didn’t know and the doctors were just doing everything they could to try to say it was this or that, and they just couldn’t figure it out.”
Mark told News 8, “He was a great guy. He loved life. I don’t think he would have any regrets. I don’t think so because he found himself.”
On Tuesday, Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) tweeted, “MDHHS is strongly urging residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites as four additional cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) have been confirmed in Southwest Michigan – including two that were fatal.”
In a news release, the health department said, “The mosquito-borne disease remains a threat that has now resulted in seven confirmed human cases of EEE in Michigan with onset dates in July.”
This year, Michigan has been experiencing the worst EEE outbreak since 2002.
Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the chief medical executive of MDHHS, said, “Michigan is currently experiencing its worst Eastern equine encephalitis outbreak in more than a decade. The ongoing cases reported in humans and animals and the severity of this disease illustrate the importance of taking precautions against mosquito bites.”
EEE is the most dangerous mosquito-borne disease characterized by the symptoms of a sudden fever, chills and body pain, and joint aches, which may progress brain inflammation, resulting in disorientation, seizures, tremors, paralysis, and death.
