The state health department issued a warning last week about the discovery of the virus, known as Eastern Equine Encephalitis, after its discovery in "several sentinel chickens from the same herd".
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, although seven cases of EEE virus on average have been reported annually among US residents, the disease is fatal about 30% of the time.
"People over the age of 50 and under 15 seem to be most at risk of developing a serious illness when they are infected with EEEV," the agency says on its website. "EEEV infection may result in one of two types of disease, systemic or encephalitic (involving brain swelling, hereinafter referred to as EEE)."
People who contract EEEV usually start to notice symptoms - including fever, headache, chills, diarrhea and irritability - about 4 to 10 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, according to the CDC.
Health officials in Florida have asked residents to protect themselves by emptying and throwing objects at home that may contain water and attract mosquitoes, as well as clothing and insect repellent.
