Jackson County Health Officials Urge Residents to Take Precautions Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases

JACKSON COUNTY, MI – After last year’s outbreak of deadly mosquito-borne illness, eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, Jackson County officials are reminding residents to be cautious when they leave this summer and fall.

The Jackson County Health Department issued a warning on Friday, July 3, ahead of what is typically one of Michigan’s busiest weekends for meetings and outdoor activities, even as the threat of the pandemic COVID persists. -19.

The department is advising Jackson County residents to take the necessary precautions: wear insect repellent, wear long-sleeved shirts and pants, cover water storage containers such as buckets, cisterns, or rain barrels well, and ensure that Screens are repaired in their homes.

“We don’t have any disease reports yet,” said Don Hayduk, director of the department’s environmental health division.

Hayduk reiterated that there is no cause for concern, saying that there have been no recent cases, but that the department wants Jackson County residents to be careful.

3 more Jackson County horses test positive for mosquito-borne EEE

Hayduk said that with the mosquito season increasing, the department wants residents to be informed about the risks and precautions they can take against diseases like EEE, St. Louis encephalitis (SLE), West Nile virus (WNV). and other California encephalitis (CE) viruses.

The county health department is again monitoring mosquito-borne diseases, department officials said in a statement. This year’s efforts to track and control the spread of the various mosquito-borne diseases occur after the 2019 season, when the state experienced an outbreak of eastern equine encephalitis.

It was the worst outbreak at least since the 1980s, and resulted in the deployment of insecticides in large areas across the state, including Jackson County.

The state began spraying in late September 2019 and covered 128,000 acres, beginning in southwest Michigan. More areas were sprayed later in the fall.

Michigan teen battling deadly EEE virus ‘beat the odds’

By November, six Michigan residents had died from the rare EEE virus, which can be transmitted through mosquito bites. Health officials rated the 2019 EEE outbreak as the worst in states’ history.

There were no human cases in Jackson County, Hayduk said.

More about Triple EEE, other diseases:

Sixth Michigan resident dies from rare mosquito-borne illness

Deadly mosquito-borne virus confirmed in Jackson County deer

Spraying for the EEE mosquito virus may begin tonight in Jackson County

Michigan discourages outdoor activity due to deadly mosquito-borne virus