An uncommon and lethal mosquito-borne sickness that causes cerebrum expanding in people has been recognized in Michigan, and state authorities are encouraging occupants to play it safe.
On Monday, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, or EEE, the virus that led to the 2019 fatal outbreak in Michigan, was found in mosquitoes in Bay County.
One of the most lethal diseases transmitted by mosquitoes in the United States, EEE has a human fatality rate of 33%.
The virus can cause swelling and infections in the brain and is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito.
EEE occurs in less than 6% of people who are bitten by mosquitoes carrying the virus. However, the illness can be swift and severe in those who do.
Side effects incorporate a cerebral pain, fever, chills, body and joint hurts, retching and quakes. There may be disorientation, seizures, a coma, or death. People who survive the disease frequently suffer from brain damage and suffer from brain inflammation.
The casualty rate for ponies is 90%.
State Veterinarian Nora Wineland stated in a news release on Wednesday, “This detection shows the virus is present in the environment and highlights the need to take precautions.” Safeguard animals against mosquitoes by setting animals in an outbuilding under fans during top mosquito movement (from nightfall to sunrise), wiping out standing water on one’s property, utilizing a bug repellant on creatures that is endorsed for the species, and reaching a veterinarian to immunize ponies against EEE and other mosquito-borne sicknesses.”
A normal of 11 human instances of EEE are accounted for every year in the U.S., as per the Places for Infectious prevention and Counteraction.
From 2012 to 2021, the vast majority of the human cases were accounted for in Michigan, Massachusetts, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Michigan has reported 22 human cases since 2003. Last year, no human cases were accounted for, yet three were identified in homegrown ponies. One human case was accounted for in 2021, and four cases with two passings in 2020.
In 2019, the worst outbreak in Michigan in more than a decade resulted in 10 human cases and six deaths. At the time, health officials advised the public to postpone outdoor activities after dusk.
Avoiding mosquitoes is the best way to avoid EEE. In wooded and swampy areas, the CDC advises using mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, and emptying bird baths, flower pots, and other containers that hold water of standing water.
