Push to address spike in mosquito-borne illnesses

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Following the recent EEE death of an Ulster County man, there is a new push to protect New Yorkers from mosquito-borne diseases.

Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to outline a plan to survey and track mosquitoes. He is also calling for an additional $65 million to help fund the CDC's program that researches diseases like EEE and West Nile Virus.

The New York State Department of Health has confirmed at least 18 cases of EEE in horses across Upstate New York. The senator said the outbreak is not only a health risk but also a danger to the Capital Region's economy.

"EEE is a particular threat to the Capital Region because we have 6,000 horses, which play a central role in New York's 7b horse racing industry," he said.

New York State declared an "imminent threat to public health" for the rise in mosquito-borne illnesses, which gives local governments more resources for prevention like mosquito spraying.