KENSINGTON, NH – A New Hampshire man is in the hospital after he was bitten by a mosquito. Now he is testing positive for three mosquito-borne viruses, including eastern equine encephalitis (EEE).
“He’s my brother. It’s very difficult, especially since it is from a mosquito,” said Angela Barker, fighting back tears.
Barker’s brother-in-law, 54-year-old Joe Casey, is fighting for his life after he was bitten by a mosquito.
Doctors at Exeter Hospital say Casey has tested positive for three different antibodies, including EEE.
“He was positive for EEE, for West Nile, and St. Louis Encephalitis, but the CDC, the infectious disease doctors don’t know which one is making him this sick,” Barker said.
Barker said Casey started to feel sick back in early August. He now has swelling in the brain and is barely able to communicate.
“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 said.
Casey’s family believes he will have a long road to recovery ahead of him, but he has his wife, Kim, and four kids to support him. His family also set up an online fundraising page and has received an outpouring of support from the community.
“Joe is going to have to go a long-term care and patient rehabilitation, that’s going to be 24-hour care, and really want to get the word out to help this incredible family,” Barker said.
Last week, 41-year-old Steven Perry of Hampstead, N.H., died after contracting EEE.
The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed that Kensington has at least one mosquito pool that is testing positive for EEE. The town has sent out postcards notifying the residents, and the threat level has been raised to high.
Casey’s family wants to warn people to be careful.
“Be safe, cover up, wear bug spray. It can happen to anybody, and that’s the scariest thing. Be careful and take proper precautions,” Barker said.
