Another person in Maine sickened by the rare Powassan virus - WMTW

What the report says

WMTW Portland reported that Maine health officials have confirmed another human case of Powassan virus, bringing the state’s total to three cases so far this year. According to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the latest patient is an adult in Lincoln County who tested positive last week. Earlier cases this year were identified in York and Penobscot counties.

The Maine CDC also reported Tuesday that a wild bird in Cumberland County tested positive for West Nile virus, marking the first detected West Nile case in Maine this year. WMTW noted the distinction between the two threats: Powassan is Maine’s only endemic arbovirus transmitted by ticks, while West Nile, Jamestown Canyon and Eastern Equine Encephalitis are spread by mosquitoes.

Powassan is considered rare but can be serious because it affects the brain and may be passed to a person quickly after a bite from an infected deer tick or woodchuck tick. WMTW cited public health information that transmission can occur in as little as 15 minutes, faster than Lyme disease. About 10% of severe Powassan cases are fatal, and some survivors experience lasting problems such as headaches, muscle loss or memory issues.

The report adds that Maine recorded a Powassan-related death in 2024 and at least four deaths since 2015. Nationally, reported Powassan cases remain uncommon, with roughly 20 to 50 cases a year in the United States from 2018 through 2023, while Maine reached a record seven cases in 2023. Researchers in Scarborough are studying the virus and tick survival in Maine winters.