Eastern equine encephalitis, often referred to as EEE or Triple E, is a rare, but serious disease, largely found in North America and spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

New York is joining the states in the Northeast US warning about the eastern equine encephalitis virus after a New Yorker died from the disease.

Mosquitoes, once a nuisance, are now a threat.” The virus, which is contracted through the bite of an infected mosquito, has been on the rise across the Northeast, prompting Massachusetts coastal towns to shut down parks and playgrounds to better protect residents amid concerns about the deadliness of the disease.