BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. —

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) announced Friday that the state has experienced its first confirmed death caused by infection with eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) virus in more than 20 years.

The first fatality from the virus in the state happened in 2003.

Health officials say EEE virus is spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito and is not transmissible from person to person.

Infection by the virus can cause a febrile illness without neurological symptoms or can cause neurological symptoms and disease due to inflammation and damage to the brain (encephalitis) or lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

"Sadly, a person from Beaufort County has died from an infection of eastern equine encephalitis virus,” said Dr. Edw

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