Mosquito Treatment Scheduled For Oakland County To Combat EEE

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI — Oakland County is one of 10 Michigan counties that will see aerial mosquito control treatment Wednesday night in an effort to prevent spread of Eastern Equine Encephalitis.

As of Sunday, EEE has been confirmed in 22 horses in 10 counties in Michigan — twice as many animal cases as the same time last year. Additional animal cases are under investigation, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. No human cases have been identified yet. There is an EEE vaccine available for horses, but not for people.

“We are taking this step in an effort to protect the health and safety of Michiganders in areas of the state where we know mosquitoes are carrying this potentially deadly disease,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, MDHHS chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “As people are spending more time outdoors because of COVID-19, they also need to be protecting themselves from mosquito bites.”

EEE is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, with a 33 percent fatality rate in people who become ill, according to the MDHHS. People can be infected with EEE from one bite of a mosquito carrying the virus. Persons younger than age 15 and over age 50 are at greatest risk of severe disease following infection. More than 25 percent of the nation’s EEE cases last year were diagnosed in Michigan.

Signs of EEE infection include the sudden onset of fever, chills, body and joint aches which can progress to a severe encephalitis, resulting in headache, disorientation, tremors, seizures and paralysis, according to the MDHHS. Permanent brain damage, coma and death may also occur in some cases.

Treatment is scheduled for Wednesday evening but can only take place under certain weather conditions, so the schedule may need to change, authorities said.

The Michigan Department of Agricultural and Rural Development has issued an emergency rule temporarily amending the rule on notification and participation for community pesticide applications for aerial spraying treatment across affected counties. This means mosquito control treatment will be required for those areas that are identified by the aerial treatment plan with exception of federal properties and tribal lands.

“As recent history has shown us, EEE can strike fast and it can be deadly to humans and animals,” said MDARD Director Gary McDowell. “MDARD fully supports the work and commitment of MDHHS to protect public health, which is why we have removed an obstacle that might have prevented them from taking action quickly.”

Treatment areas are selected based on occurrence of cases. In addition to Oakland County, treatment is scheduled in Barry, Clare, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kent, Mecosta, Montcalm and Newaygo counties. Additional areas may be selected for treatment if new human or animal cases occur outside of the currently identified zones, authorities said.

In general, health risks are not expected during or after spraying, authorities said. No special precautions are recommended, but residents and individuals who have known sensitivities to pyrethrins can reduce potential for exposure by staying indoors during treatment.

Aerial treatment is not expected to have any impacts on surface water or drinking water. Monitoring in 2019 when more than 557,000 Michigan acres were treated found no increased human, animal or insect adverse effects associated with aerial treatment, MDHHS officials said.