Central NY man with EEE dies; first EEE-related death here since 2015

Sullivan, N.Y. – A Madison County man with the rare eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) has died.

The man is the first human death from the mosquito-borne virus in Central New York since a Salina man died in 2015. A 4-year-old girl from Oswego County died in 2011. Four others have died from the virus in the past five decades.

Statewide, the last EEE death reported was a man in Ulster County in 2024.

Samantha Field, a Madison County spokesperson, confirmed Tuesday that “an elderly Madison County man who contracted EEE passed away due to complications from the virus.”

The man who died is George Caswell Baker Jr., Erick Haas, the president of the Chittenango Fire Department, confirmed.

Baker, an Army veteran, was a member of the fire department for more than 50 years, he said. He also was the department’s chaplain.

Baker, who was 79, was still heavily dedicated to the department. He would lead prayers but also was involved in community engagement and managing scenes, Haas said.

“He was coming with us to emergencies right up until his passing” Haas said. “He would ensure we had the right tools, making sure things were being done safely, help control traffic.”

EEE is a rare and serious virus. About one-third of people who get the virus die from the disease and most survivors suffer brain damage. It has no vaccine or cure.

EEE is passed from birds to mosquitoes, who then can infect horses and humans upon biting them.

Central New York has had one of the longest histories of EEE in the nation, especially around the Cicero swamp and the woods straddling the Oswego County line.

Climate change and its effects have increased the number of mosquitos and the length of mosquito season, experts told syracuse.com. This increases the chances that someone can catch the disease.

Central New York health officials have warned the public that despite the cooler weather people need to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites.