U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is calling on federal agencies to put more resources into tracking mosquitos and mosquito-borne illnesses as New York has seen a surge in eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) cases, including one case in a human who died.

Schumer is calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to work with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to outline a plan for working with New York state and local communities to track the bugs.

He is also urging for surge funding for the CDC's vector-borne diseases programs.

“This mosquito season could last well into fall because of all the recent flooding and a very wet summer," Schumer said Tuesday in Glens Falls. "Today, I am here to launch a two-pronged push to get the feds to step up efforts to support New York and local officials and surge the resources to zap these bugs and beat back these diseases before they spread.”

EEE is a rare, but severe, viral disease spread by infected mosquitoes that can affect people and horses. People of all ages are susceptible to infection, but people over 50 and younger than 15 are at a high risk of acquiring the virus. Human cases have also been found in neighboring Massachusetts, Vermont and New Jersey. Several cases and deaths in horses have occurred in New York this year.

The individual with the first human case of EEE in New York since 2015 died last week in Ulster County. As a result, state Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald issued a declaration of an imminent threat to public health for EEE.