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Aerial Treatment To Fight EEE Postponed To Tonight
By: Mike Stiles - Monday, September 30, 2019


(LANSING) – Plans to do aerial treatments to combat Eastern Equine Encephalitis have been pushed back to tonight.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services says because of the rain that moved through the area Sunday night and early Monday morning, they decided to postpone the treatments until tonight and into Tuesday morning.

DHHS officials say they will be working with 12 local health departments to conduct aerial spraying in 1 counties that are in high risk areas for EEE. Spraying will occur locally in St. Joseph and Cass Counties. In addition spraying will happening in Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Jackson, Kent, Lapeer, Montcalm, Newaygo and Van Buren Counties.

Aerial spraying will be conducted by low flying aircraft, beginning in the early evening and continuing up to 4:30 AM in areas of concern. Mosquito control professionals will apply approved pesticides as an ultra low volume spray. ULV sprayers dispense very fine aerosol droplets that stay suspended in the air and kill adult mosquitoes on contact.

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. Persons younger than age 15 and over age 50 are at greatest risk of the disease following infection.

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. Anyone who thinks they may be experiencing these symptoms should contact a medical provider.

Permanent brain damage, coma and death may occur in some cases.

Updates to treatment schedules and more information on EEE can be found online. Click Here.

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