A New York resident contracted the first confirmed human case of Eastern equine encephalitis in the state in nearly a decade and has died, the governor’s office announced this week. So what exactly is the mosquito-borne disease EEE or Triple E?

Gov. Kathy Hochul declared the mosquito-borne illness a public health threat after the first confirmed case in the state in nearly a decade resulted in a death.

The person died in Ulster County after being infected with the EEE virus that spreads from horses to humans via mosquito bites.