(WXYZ) — In today’s Health Alert, 10 Massachusetts communities face a high risk of the mosquito-borne virus 'Triple E' or Eastern Equine Encephalitis. To help protect people, mosquito spraying and nightly park closures are planned.
Michigan is also reporting two confirmed cases of EEE in horses in Van Buren County.
Michigan officials usually turn to mosquito spraying when mosquito populations spike, especially if there's a threat of mosquito-borne diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis or EEE. The decision to spray depends on factors like the number of cases and how widespread the disease is.
For example, in 2019, Michigan experienced one of its worst EEE outbreaks - with ten human cases, including six deaths and 50 cases in animals. At that time, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and 12 local health departments carried out aerial spraying in high-risk areas.
Now, the goal of spraying is to reduce the risk to public health while also considering environmental impacts. You want to prevent mosquitoes from developing resistance to insecticides and avoid exposing people to them unless necessary. However, even with spraying, the risk of EEE cannot be completely eliminated.
This mosquito-borne disease is rare but one of the most dangerous in the United States. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for EEE. Symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and seizures. And while many people don’t have symptoms, the disease can lead to encephalitis, which is inflammation of the brain. Unfortunately, about 30% of people with EEE do not survive. Those most at risk are people older than 50 and children younger under the age of 15. So here’s what you can do to help prevent those pesky mosquito bites:
- Use EPA-approved insect repellent with DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors.
- Try to avoid outdoor activities at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
- Keep doors and windows closed or install tight-fitting screens.
- Remove standing water from any containers like buckets, planters, toys, and birdbaths to eliminate breeding sites.
It’s best to protect yourself from mosquito bites until after a hard frost, as that kills off many adult mosquitoes and disrupts their breeding cycles.
