In New York, Ulster County officials says a resident has died from a rare virus spread by infected ticks.
The Ulster County Department of Health was notified Wednesday that a Gardiner resident died from the Powassan virus. County health officials says this is the first known case of a person diagnosed with the Powassan virus in New York this year. They say the resident had additional underlying health conditions and died earlier this week. Powassan virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected deer tick. And because this is a viral disease, it cannot be treated with antibiotics. The risk of getting Powassan is exceedingly low. A Dutchess County resident contracted Powassan virus in 2018, and recovered.
