First 2020 West Nile virus activity detected in Michigan

Michigan – the first West Nile virus Michigan activity in 2020 has been reported by prisoner of war hawks in Lapier County.

Residents’ best way to protect themselves from the West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses (such as eastern equine encephalitis) is to prevent mosquito bites.

Every summer in Michigan there is a risk that mosquito bites can spread the disease to people and animals. Last year, West Nile virus (WNV) sickened 12 Michigan and 20 animals and birds.

Dr. Johnny Cardan, MDHHS Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director of Health, said: “We ask Michigan to take precautions such as using EPA-registered repellents outdoors.”

WNV is common in Michigan, but in 2019 the state experienced the worst ever recorded Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus outbreak. EEE activity was reported in 20 counties in Michigan, with 50 cases of animals and 10 infected with EEE, of which 6 died. Nationwide, 26 states reported EEE activity, with 38 human cases and 19 deaths in 10 of them. To date, no EEE has been detected in Michigan, but the virus is usually detected in late summer.

Symptoms of an arbovirus infection such as WNV usually include high fever, confusion, weakness, and severe headache. More serious complications include neurological disorders such as meningitis and encephalitis.

WNV and EEE are transmitted by bites of mosquitoes that feed on infected birds and pick up the virus. Most people who get the virus have no clinical signs of the disease, but some people get sick 3 to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. As summer temperatures rise, mosquitoes and viruses grow faster, so it is important to protect them from bites as the weather warms.

Mosquitoes that infect West Nile virus can breed near people’s homes, such as in rainwater drains, shallow ditches, reservoirs, and unused pools. If the windows and door screens are not well maintained, they will soon come indoors and bite.

The best way to prevent West Nile disease Or another mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and take personal precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Note the following:

• Uses an EPA-registered insect repellent with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridine, IR3535, lemon eucalyptus oil, paramenthane diol or 2-undecanone. Follow the instructions on the product label and reapply according to the instructions.
• Do not use repellents for children under 2 months. Instead, dress the child in clothing that covers the arms and legs and cover the crib, stroller, and baby carrier with mosquito nets.
• Outdoors, they wear shoes and socks, bright pants, and long-sleeved shirts.
• Make sure the doors and windows have the right screen. Repair or replace the screen with tears or other openings.
• Use bed nets when sleeping outdoors or without window screens.
• Eliminate all sources of stop water that can support mosquito breeding around your home, including bird baths, abandoned swimming pools, water pools, old tires, and other objects that hold water once a week To do.

For current WNV and EEE activities in Michigan, please visit: Michigan.gov/emergingdiseases.. Contains an overview of counties in Michigan in which arbovirus infections were detected in mosquitoes, animals, and humans.

Most Michigan counties lack local level mosquito surveillance and control. As a result of the EEE outbreak in 2019, Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties will work with Michigan State University, the Midwestern Vector-borne Disease Center, and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to develop a new surveillance system for EEE. Southwestern Michigan. This effort will improve our knowledge of the biology of this disease in our state, establish meaningful surveillance based on mosquito populations, develop better ways to fight EEE, and develop future disease outbreaks. The purpose is to prevent.