Eastern Equine Encephalitis Confirmed NEAR St. Joseph County
Friday September 13, 2024
Notified by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Laboratories
Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency has been notified by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Laboratories, of a confirmed case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in a horse NEAR St. Joseph County.
“We are reminding residents to take precautions to protect themselves and their horses from mosquito bites,” says Joe Frazier, Supervisor of Environmental Health at the Community Health Agency. “Vaccination of horses can prevent EEE and West Nile Virus which are both mosquito-borne diseases.”
To protect your animals:
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Talk to your veterinarian about vaccinating horses against EEE.
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Place horses in a barn under fans during peak mosquito activity from dusk to dawn.
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Use an insect repellant on the animals that is approved for the species.
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Eliminate standing water on the property (fill in puddles, repair eaves, and change the water in buckets and bowls at least once a day).
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Contact your veterinarian if a horse shows signs of the illness: loss of awareness of their surroundings, walk in circles, exhibit muscle paralysis, stupor, lethargy, and uncoordination.
To protect yourself and your family:
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Wear long sleeves, light colored clothing.
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Use an EPA registered insect repellent as directed. Find the insect repellent that’s right for you by using EPA’s search tool.
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lent on a baby or child always follow the instructions on the container. Do not use repellent on babies under 2 months of age. Avoid spraying the child’s hands, eyes, mouth, and cut or irritated skin. Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on a child under 3 years of age.
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Deter mosquitoes from your property by eliminating and reducing potential breeding areas, such a stagnant water in old tires, bird baths, or containers. If you have livestock water troughs, empty and refill weekly until first frost. Keep your grass cut short and shrubs trimmed. Clean debris from gutters
Overall, mosquito-borne illnesses, like EEE and West Nile Virus, will continue to pose a risk to both animals and humans until late fall when nighttime temperatures consistently fall below freezing. For more information about how to protect yourself from EEE, West Nile Virus and other mosquito transmitted diseases, visit www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases.
The Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is committed to promoting wellness, preventing disease, providing health care, and protecting the environment.