April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has confirmed this year's first cases of a mosquito-borne illness in Oakland County and Macomb Counties

Two Michigan residents have tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV), a mosquito-borne virus. These two individuals from Macomb and Oakland counties are the first human arboviral illness cases identified in the state this year.

MDHHS is reminding residents that the best way to protect against all mosquito-borne illnesses including JCV, West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) is to prevent mosquito bites.

Mosquito pools from Bay, Saginaw, and Washtenaw counties already tested positive for JCV this summer. However, no human illness cases were reported.

WNV has been found in mosquitoes collected in Kalamazoo, Wayne, and Washtenaw counties. The risk for mosquito-borne illness rises throughout the state over the course of the mosquito season, peaking in August and September.

“It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to cause a severe illness, so we advise using insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors during times when mosquitoes are active,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive “It’s a good idea to take extra precautions during peak mosquito-biting hours, which are from dusk to dawn.”

JCV and other mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has gotten the virus by feeding on an infected animal.

Most people who contract the virus have no symptoms of illness, but some may become ill two to 14 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.

Symptoms typically include a high fever, confusion, muscle weakness, and a severe headache. More serious complications include neurological illnesses such as meningitis and encephalitis.

The best way to prevent any mosquito-borne illness, according to MDHHS, is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Some precautions include:
- Using EPA-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol and 2-undecanone.

- Don’t use repellent on children under 2 months old. Instead dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs and cover crib, stroller, and baby carrier with mosquito netting.

- Wearing shoes and socks, light-colored long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors.
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- Making sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings.

- Using bed nets when sleeping outdoors or in conditions with no window screens.

- Eliminating all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding around your home, including water in bird baths, abandoned swimming pools, wading pools, old tires, and any other object holding water once a week.

For more information on JCV, visit any of the provided links.