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An outbreak of eastern equine encephalitis in the northeast made headlines, but as far as mosquito-borne illnesses go, EEE is serious but still rare.

A 41-year-old man in New Hampshire died last week after contracting a rare mosquito-borne illness called eastern equine encephalitis virus, also known as EEE or “triple E.”

“We have seen a resurgence of activity with eastern equine encephalitis virus over the course of the past 10 or so years,” said Theodore G. Andreadis, a researcher who studied mosquito-borne diseases at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, a state government research and public outreach outfit, for 35 years.

Ten communities in Massachusetts are now designated at high or critical risk for eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, that spreads through the bite of an infected mosquito, officials say.

Alphaviruses include Eastern equine encephalitis virus and several other viruses that cause brain or joint disease.