LEBANON (AP) — The Maine Center for Disease Control says Eastern equine encephalitis has been confirmed in the state for the first time in a bird.
Officials said Tuesday that one of the birds from a flock of 30 farm-raised pheasants that died in Lebanon tested positive for the mosquitoborne virus this week.
It’s the first time EEE has been found in Maine this year, but the virus has been found elsewhere in New England. In Massachusetts and Vermont, there have been human cases of EEE.
Maine has never had a confirmed human case, but a Massachusetts resident vacationing in Cumberland County died from the disease in the fall of 2008.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less