A MAN from Canada has died after contracting a disabling horse virus spread by mosquitos, prompting officials to urge residents to stay indoors.
The bug, called eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), has been ripping through parts of the US, placing 10 counties in Massachusetts on high alert before spreading and killing a person in New Hampshire.
This week, it was reported that a unnamed person from Ottowa, in Canada, tested positive for the rare brain-swelling virus after dying in August.
It is the first known case of the bug in Ontario, accoridng to Public Health Ottowa.
EEE kills around a third of those infected with it and often leaves survivors severely disabled.
There are currently no vaccines or medicines available to treat the "very serious" disease, also known as "triple E", according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Local health officials are urging residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites by making sure all windows and doors are in good enough conditon to keep critters out.
"Mosquitoes remain active in both urban and rural areas at this time of year and will continue to pose a risk until heavy frosts later this fall," they said.
Those planning on heading outdoors between dust and dawn, when mosquitos are most active, should wear DEET bug repellent and wear long, loose fitting clothing that protects all exposed skin, they added.
Just days after New Hampshire officials announced the death of a healthy 41-year-old man from the virus, a second human case of EEE was confirmed in neighboring Massachusetts.
In response, officals in Massachusetts announced they would shut parks, playgrounds and other public spaces.
It also urged people to stay indoors between dusk and dawn to reduce the risk of people being exposed to mosquitoes carrying the virus.
Cases have also been reported in Wisconsin, New Jersey and Vermont.
EEE is most commonly found on the East Coast of the US, averaging about seven human cases each mosquito season.
It's also been detected in Canada, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
First spotted in horses in Massachusetts back in 1938 - hence the name - EEE is spread by wild birds and rodents to mosquitoes, which then bite humans.
Humans and horses are considered "dead-end hosts", meaning they do not have enough virus in their blood to pass the virus on again.
Cases usually pop up between July and September when mosquito numbers peak, and they tend to end with the first frosts that wipe out the bugs.
Symptoms start with fever, headaches, chills, and vomiting, but they can escalate to serious issues like brain swelling and even death.
Those who survive often face long-term effects, including memory loss and paralysis.