LANSING, Mich. — On Wednesday night, a portion of Grass Lake and Concord Townships will be sprayed in an effort to prevent Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), weather permitting.
“We ask you to take extra precautions such as wearing bug spray with DEET, remaining indoors as possible, and wearing long sleeves and pants,” says Rashmi Travis, Jackson County Health Department Health Officer. “Spraying is another effective way to minimize risk.”
On October 1 the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) reported that pesticide applicators sprayed more than 128,000 acres of land were Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been confirmed, including several counties in southwest Michigan.
The health department said all spraying will begin at dusk.
The health department said aerial spraying is done at night time because that is the time that mosquitoes are most active and it is also when fish are less likely to be a the surface feeding and when honeybees are most likely to be in their hives.
The health department said you can avoid mosquito bites by doing the following:
• Use an EPA-approved insect repellent containing an active ingredient like DEET, picaridin, IR3535 or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin and/or clothing. Always follow the directions on the package.
• Wear long sleeves and pants when outdoors as the weather permits.
• Consider limiting time outdoors from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Maintain window and door screening to keep mosquitoes outside.
• Eliminate mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets, children's toys, or other containers around your home.
Anyone who is concerned about the spraying process can email eee@michigan.gov.
The health department says that EEE is a very rare, but serious disease caused by a virus that is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito.
And that mosquitoes become infected when they bite infected birds.
EEE is only spread by mosquitoes; it cannot be spread to you by other humans or animals.
They added that even if you are bitten by a mosquito that carries EEE, people have only a 4-5% chance of developing the disease.
Symptoms usually occur within 4-10 days after the infected mosquito bite, and can be severe, including sudden onset of high fever, headache, stiff neck, and can cause swelling of the brain, leading to seizures, coma, or death.
Individuals who are over the age of 50, under the age of 15, or have compromised immune systems due to underlying medical conditions or treatments are at elevated risk for contracting the virus, according to their press release.
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