BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Things are looking up for a New Hampshire man diagnosed with three mosquito-borne illnesses at once.
This summer, Joe Casey was diagnosed with triple E, West Nile virus, and St. Louis encephalitis.
55-year-old Casey became deathly ill and was in a coma for three weeks.
When Casey woke up, he couldn’t walk, talk, or perform many basic functions.
And with another 10 weeks left of rehab from a simple mosquito bite, Casey is urging caution.
“Don’t underestimate the size of the villain here, whatever. You just have to be ready and be prepared. You’re taking your kids to ballparks, whatever please douse them with DEET, douse yourself with DEET. And stay alert,” said Casey.
A man in his 70s died of triple E in Vermont this year, and Hampstead, New Hampshire also saw a fatal case of the virus.
The first hard frost decreases the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses, but until then, Vermont’s health department reminds you to take precautions.