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Wife identifies latest person to die of EEE, says 'he didn't deserve this' – WCVB Boston, Wcvb.com

Wife identifies latest person to die of EEE, says 'he didn't deserve this' – WCVB Boston, Wcvb.com

The second person to die of Eastern equine encephalitis in Massachusetts this year is being remembered as a beloved husband, father and grandfather.James Longworth first became ill over the weekend, his wife, Diane Balestracci, told WCVB. He was in a coma by Monday and died Thursday. Balestracci, who was married to Longworth for 27 years, described her late husband as a “wonderful man.” “He didn’t deserve this,” she added. She believes her husband was bitten by an infected mosquito in their East Freetown backyard, where Longworth enjoyed doing yardwork. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced earlier Friday that laboratory testing confirmed a Bristol County man died of EEE in the state’s 10 th human case of the virus this year. The family has not yet scheduled a date for a celebration of Longworth’s life. There are 35 communities now at critical risk, 40 at high risk and 128 at moderate risk for the EEE virus in Massachusetts.State health officials said this year is the worst outbreak of EEE in Massachusetts since the 1950 s.In addition to the 10 human cases of EEE this season in Massachusetts, there have also been eight confirmed cases of EEE this year in animals – seven horses and a goat. A woman from Fairhaven died of EEE in August.One patient also died of EEE in Connecticut earlier this week, according to that state’s Department of Public Health. This is Connecticut’s first death from EEE since 2013. EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. EEE occurs sporadically in Massachusetts with the most recent outbreak years occurring from 2004 – 2006 and 2010 – 2012. There were 22 human cases of EEE infection during those two outbreak periods , with 14 cases occurring among residents of Bristol and Plymouth counties .EEE virus has been found in 421 mosquito samples this year, many of them from species of mosquito capable of spreading the virus to people. An additional 76 mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile Virus.As previously announced, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is conducting aerial spraying for mosquitoes Friday and through the weekend in parts of Bristol and Plymouth counties.Note: WCVB has removed Longworth’s photo from this report at the request of the family.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. –

The second person to die of Eastern equine encephalitis in Massachusetts this year is being remembered as a beloved husband, father and grandfather.

James Longworth first became ill over the weekend, his wife, Diane Balestracci, told WCVB. He was in a coma by Monday and died Thursday.

Balestracci, who was married to Longworth for 27 years, described her late husband as a “wonderful man.”

“He didn’t deserve this,” she added.

She believes her husband was bitten by an infected mosquito in their East Freetown backyard, where Longworth enjoyed doing yardwork.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health announced earlier Friday that laboratory testing confirmed a Bristol County man died of EEE in the state’s 10 th human case of the virus this year.

The family has not yet scheduled a date for a celebration of Longworth’s life.

There are 35 communities now at critical risk, 40 at high risk and 128 at moderate risk for the EEE virus in Massachusetts.

State health officials said this year is the worst outbreak of EEE in Massachusetts since the 1950 s.

In addition to the 10 human cases of EEE this season in Massachusetts, there have also been eight confirmed cases of EEE this year in animals – seven horses and a goat. A woman from Fairhaven died of EEE in August.

One patient also died of EEE in Connecticut earlier this week, according to that state’s Department of Public Health. This is Connecticut’s first death from EEE since 2013.

EEE is a rare but serious and potentially fatal disease that can affect people of all ages. EEE occurs sporadically in Massachusetts with the most recent outbreak years occurring from 2004 – 2006 and 2010 – 2012. There were 22 human cases of EEE infection during those two outbreak periods , with 14 cases occurring among residents of Bristol and Plymouth counties .

EEE virus has been found in 421 mosquito samples this year, many of them from species of mosquito capable of spreading the virus to people. An additional 76 mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile Virus.

As previously announced, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is conducting aerial spraying for mosquitoes Friday and through the weekend in parts of Bristol and Plymouth counties.

Note: WCVB has removed Longworth’s photo from this report at the request of the family.

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