GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Mosquitoes from Bay County have tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, more commonly known as EEE, in Michigan’s first case of 2023, according to State Veterinarian Nora Wineland.
The mosquitoes tested positive July 3, Wineland said in a Wednesday release.
EEE is a mosquito-transmitted disease that has a fatality rate of 90% for horses and 33% for humans, the state veterinarian said. It cannot spread from a horse to a human, nor can it spread from one horse to another horse.
Proper precautions include putting livestock in a barn under fans from dusk to dawn, using approved insect repellant on animals, eliminating standing water and vaccinating horses against EEE, according to the release.
If a horse shows signs of EEE — mild fever, stumbling and, in the later stages, struggling to stand — owners are asked to contact a veterinarian, as well as the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development at 800.292.3939 to report the disease and pursue testing.
More information about EEE is available online.
