RUTLAND (AP) - Vermont's health commissioner says the state is taking a good, hard look at how it is monitoring mosquitoes following the death of two residents from the rare but potentially fatal brain infection eastern equine encephalitis.

Richard Hollis Breen of Brandon died Sept. 4 and Scott Sgorbati of Sudbury died Sept. 18.

Dr. Harry Chen said that funding to monitor mosquitoes was cut by 75 percent this year, and that because Vermont doesn't have a lab to test for viruses from mosquitoes, trapping and testing was delayed by two months,according to reports.

He says the state may seek federal funding to increase monitoring and spraying.

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