Sullivan, N.Y. - At 79 years old, George Caswell Baker Jr. was in great shape for his age, his family said.

He was completing half-marathons into his 70s and could still run a few miles. He even started training to try to run in the Utica Boilermaker next summer. An avid outdoorsman, he was also gearing up for the hunting season.

Living in Central New York, he was aware of the risks of mosquito-borne viruses like eastern equine encephalitis. His son, George Baker III, said he always warned him and his siblings to wear long sleeves and use bug spray. There’s even a can of bug repellent by the door in his Baker Jr’s house according to his son.

George Baker Jr., of Sullivan, died on Saturday after contracting EEE earlier this month, according to his family.

He’s the first person in

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