NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

TAMPA - A second person in Hillsborough County, an infant, has died from the mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis, the health department said.

Tests confirmed Wednesday the child who lived in the Brandon area died from the virus, which is spread from the bite of an infected mosquito, the Hillsborough County Health Department said.

A woman in northwest Hillsborough died July 1 from the disease, which can cause swelling of the brain. The virus was confirmed July 16.

The infant's death is the third this year in Florida from eastern equine encephalitis.

The county health department increased its alarm level to a mosquito-borne illness alert from an advisory, which was issued after the first death.

Alerts are issued when more than one case is confirmed.

Though frequently fatal, eastern equine encephalitis is rare. The woman's death was the first in the United States since 2008 and in Hillsborough since 1964.