Dick Breen, 87, educator, of Brandon

State health officials have identified the first Vermont resident to die from Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) as retired educator Dick Breen, 87, of Brandon, WCAX-TV reported.. Breen was longtime director of the Vermont Principals Association. He lived on an emu farm in Brandon that experienced a serious outbreak of EEE among its livestock last September. Nineteen of the birds died from the virus.

Breen was diagnosed with the virus last Thursday. He was hospitalized. He died at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington on Tuesday.

The Vermont Department of Health has scheduled an aerial insecticide spraying in the Whiting-Brandon area to combat the mosquito populations that transmit the EEE and West Nile viruses.