Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), caused by the mosquito-borne Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), is an important, high-mortality disease affecting equines, humans, and other vertebrate hosts (1, 2). EEE is one of the most severe forms of arboviral encephalitis in the USA, with a mortality rate of 30%–40%, and neurological sequelae are observed in 50% of survivors (3). The enzootic cycle between Culiseta melanura (Coquillett) and passerine birds is crucial to the maintenance of EEEV. EEEV causes intermittent outbreaks in the east and midwest of the USA, and has the highest recorded case fatality rate (CFR) among arboviruses in the Americas (4). It is an uncommon vector-borne disease, and approximately 6–8 cases, on average, are reported annually in the USA. There has been a rise in virus activity over the past decade, with major outbreaks in both human and equine populations. It is anticipated that the range of mosquitoes in the Americas, especially vectors of EEEV, may be impacted by predicted climate change, which may modify disease risk and constitute a public health problem (5). The consistent rise in incidence, seen across a wider region and population, demonstrates that EEE is an emerging disease. Notably, EEEV is also considered a potential bioterrorism weapon owing to its airborne transmissibility. This article presents an overview of EEEV and EEE, the current emerging scenario of increasing incidence, and salient prevention and control measures.