LANSING, MI - Michigan’s toll from West Nile Virus continues to rise.
The Michigan Department of Community Health’s latest disease update counts eight deaths attributable to probable or confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne illness this year.
The latest fatalities include an 87-year-old Macomb County man in what is being called a probable case. The other new fatality was a 65-year-old Ogemaw County man.
As of Tuesday, the state was reporting 160 cases statewide – not counting presumptive blood donors where the disease was detected. Cases have been reported in 19 counties. The highest case counts are in Wayne, Kent, Macomb and Oakland counties.
The outbreak of cases appears to be weather-driven. Mosquitoes thrived in hot and sometimes wet conditions this spring and summer.
Most people bitten by a mosquito carrying West Nile won’t show any symptoms. But some can begin to feel sick, typically within two weeks after the bite. Older people are at higher risk.
Roughly 20 percent of infected people will have mild illness with a fever. One of every 150 infected people will become severely ill. It can cause encephalitis or meningitis, affecting the brain, lining of the brain, or spinal cord with swelling. Symptoms include a stiff neck, disorientation and muscle weakness.
Health department officials offer the following tips to avoid mosquitoes and West Nile:
• Consider using insect repellents.
• Keeps doors and windows screened to keep mosquitoes out of buildings.
• Eliminate standing water in buckets and wading pools when they are not being used. That could cut down on the number of places mosquitoes can use to breed.
• Avoid being outside at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
• Light-colored material is best to wear outdoors. Keep arms and legs covered.