Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The first human case of the West Nile Virus this year has been detected in a Livingston County resident.

Further details about the individual were not provided by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

The Department is reminding residents that the best way to protect against WNV and other mosquito-borne diseases like Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) is to prevent mosquito bites.

MDHHS Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian said “It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to cause a severe illness. Use insect repellent and wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors during times when mosquitoes are active. These precautions are especially important during peak mosquito-biting hours, which are from dusk to dawn.”

WNV has been found in mosquitoes collected this year from Bay, Kalamazoo, Kent, Macomb, Midland, Saginaw, Tuscola, and Wayne counties.

In addition, JCV has been found in mosquitoes collected from Bay, Kalamazoo, Macomb, Ottawa, Saginaw, 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.

Mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected animal. Most people who contract the virus have no clinical 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 severe headache. More serious complications include neurological illnesses, such as meningitis and encephalitis.

MDHHS says the best way to prevent WNV or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. 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. Follow the product label instructions and reapply as directed.

-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.

-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.