US Vermont joins Massachusetts in postponing events amid potentially deadly EEE spike

The Green Mountain state followed neighboring Massachusetts in recommending that residents stay indoors during nighttime hours amid a rise in EEE cases.

The Vermont Department of Health "strongly recommend[ed]" that residents in some of the state's busiest towns remain indoors between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., when mosquitoes—known carriers of the virus—were most active. This precaution came alongside the postponement of local nighttime festivals and concerts.

EEE, transmitted by mosquitoes and originating from infected horses, could lead to brain swelling, vomiting, seizures, and death.

While the virus is rare, affecting approximately 11 Americans annually, it had already claimed one life in New England in 2024. Steven Perry, 41, a father of four, died from the virus in New Hampshire the previous week, marking the state's first case in a decade.

In Massachusetts, similar curfews were implemented, resulting in the postponement of sports games, cookouts, and other end-of-summer events. Vermont's measures mirrored those taken across state lines.

August saw the first human case of EEE in Vermont since 2012. The Vermont Health Department identified Burlington, Colchester, Alburg, Swanton, and Sudbury as areas at highest risk, following the detection of 47 groups of infected mosquitoes across 11 communities—a significant increase from the previous year's 14 positive groups in three towns.

Notable event cancellations included Burlington's annual Oktoberfest, one of the state's largest gatherings. The event's organizer issued a statement: "While the eventual outcome of this virus’ impact and the general response from the public is not our judgment call to make, the significant costs associated with organizing this event prevented us from delaying this decision any further to find out."

Additional cancellations affected music and food festivals, art shows, concerts, and outdoor movies.

With no vaccine or specific treatment available for EEE, the Vermont Health Department emphasized that prevention is crucial. "The best way to reduce your risk of infection with EEE is by limiting time outdoors at dawn and dusk," officials advised. If outdoor activity was necessary, they recommended using bug spray and wearing long sleeves.

Notably, EEE targets the nervous system similarly to other mosquito-borne illnesses like West Nile. Initial symptoms include flu-like signs such as fever, chills, and body aches, which could progress to more severe conditions like brain swelling, mild disability and death in about 30 percent of cases. Individuals over 50 or under 15 are particularly vulnerable to severe complications.