WARWICK, R.I., USA: Possible powassan virus encephalitis case

[Emily]

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/west_bay/local-coach-suffers-from-mysterious-coma

Local coach slips into mysterious coma
George Schmeider became sick in August

Updated: Thursday, 11 Oct 2012, 9:14 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 11 Oct 2012, 9:14 AM EDT

Reporting By Nneka Nwosu
By Angie Angers

WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) ? A medical mystery has left a local coach in a coma and a community devastated.

George Schmeider is a husband, father of four, teacher, local volunteer, and coach. He returned from an out of state tournament back in August, suddenly became sick, and slipped into a coma...

Though that article says doctors don't know what is the cause of the coma, the Facebook page linked to has this possible diagnosis:
https://www.facebook.com/events/358724334202966/

Saturday, October 13, 2012
8:00am until 9:00pm in EDT

George is suffering from a tick bite the prognosis is unknown and the illness is called powassan.

This would be the first case of Powassan disease reported in RI, but since the patient had just traveled out of state prior to his illness, maybe he was not bitten in RI.

http://diseasemaps.usgs.gov/pow_us_human.html

Cumulative 2012 Data as of 3 am, Oct 09, 2012
These data are provisional and may be revised or adjusted in the future.