BAY COUNTY (WWJ) – Health officials in Michigan are warning residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites after mosquitoes in Bay County tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).
The recently collected mosquitoes were tested at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Bureau of Laboratories.
Though no people or animals have been diagnosed with EEE, MDHHS officials say it’s important for people to know they can be infected with just one bite from a mosquito carrying the virus.
MDHHS chief medical executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian says EEE is “one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, with a 33% fatality rate in people who become ill.”
While anyone can become ill with EEE, officials say people under 15 and over 50 years old are at greatest risk of severe disease following an EEE infection.
Signs of EEE infection include sudden onset of fever, chills and body and joint aches that can progress to severe encephalitis, resulting in headache, disorientation, tremors, seizures and paralysis.
Anyone who thinks they may be experiencing these symptoms should contact a medical provider. Permanent brain damage, coma and death may occur in some cases, according to MDHHS.
Officials first discovered EEE in Michigan in 2019. That year there were 10 human cases of the virus, six of which were fatal. In 2020 there were four human cases with two deaths. There was only one human case in 2021.
Last year, while there were no human cases of EEE, the virus killed three horses and one bird in four different counties across the state, according to MDHHS.
Residents can stay healthy by using simple, effective strategies to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites. The following steps are recommended to avoid mosquito-borne diseases:
• Apply insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET or other EPA-approved products to exposed skin or clothing. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.
• Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors. Apply insect repellent to clothing to help prevent bites.
• Maintain window and door screening to keep mosquitos outside.
• At least once a week, empty water from mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused children’s pools, old tires and other water-holding containers where mosquitos can lay eggs.
Horses are also vulnerable to EEE, with a 90% fatality rate in horses that become ill. The disease is not spread by horse-to-horse or horse-to-human contact.
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recommends that owners protect their horses by:
• Talking to their veterinarian about vaccinating horses against EEE and other mosquito-borne diseases.
• Placing horses and other livestock in a barn under fans during peak mosquito activity (from dusk to dawn).
• Using an insect repellant on animals that is approved for the species.
• Contacting a veterinarian if an animal shows signs of illness.
As of June 30, more than 600 mosquito pools had been tested in Michigan during 2023. In addition to the recent discovery in Bay County, a mosquito pool from Saginaw County tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus.
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