KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Wednesday, the Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department’s Environmental Health Division announced that its staff began setting mosquito traps as of May to test for various diseases.
The trapping and testing process will be running through September to identify any Asian Tiger Mosquitoes that may be in Kalamazoo County.
Though the mosquito is not currently known to be present in Kalamazoo County, the Environmental Health Division is working closely with the Mosquito Surveillance program at the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services Department (MDHHS).
Asian Tiger Mosquitoes are known to carry the ZIKA virus, and Southern Michigan is known to be part of the migration pattern of this type of insect.
Additionally, the Environmental Health Division will also be partnering with Michigan State University as they perform surveillance for the Culiseta melanura mosquito, which is known to carry Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).
These mosquitos will be trapped, identified, and tested for EEE, and any findings will be shared with the community. Trapping and testing this species of mosquito will offer early EEE surveillance and detection within Kalamazoo County.
Last fall, confirmed EEE cases resulted in a string of deaths in Southwest Michigan, and some areas were sprayed with chemicals as well.
“Even as the COVID-19 response remains our top priority, there is still critical public health work, such as mosquito surveillance, that must get done to protect the health and safety of our community this summer,” Environmental Health Division Chief Vern Johnson said. “Actively trapping and identifying mosquitoes is an effective way of providing early detection of the spread of vector borne diseases such as Zika Virus and EEE. Identifying the mosquitoes in our community will help us inform residents about potential diseases carried by those mosquitoes.”
What Kalamazoo County is doing:
- Setting traps with the purpose of identifying the collected mosquitoes.
- Reporting information to the MHDDS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Providing ZIKA and EEE disease prevention education at community events.
- Working closely with Michigan State University trapping, collecting, identifying, and testing the mosquitos that can carry EEE.
- Informing the community upon any important findings during our surveillance of any potential disease carrying vectors.
What Kalamazoo County residents can do to prevent mosquito-borne diseases:
- Empty and wash all outdoor containers that collect water (small pools, feeding bowls, open rain collection barrels, buckets, birdbaths, etc.) at least once a week.
- Keep swimming pools properly treated to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds.
- Keep trash containers properly covered.
- Use and repair screens on your home windows.
- Wear tall socks, pants and long sleeves when outdoors, especially from dusk to dawn.
- Use insect repellent with DEET and registered by the EPA on skin and treat clothing with permethrin to repel biting insects. Always follow label directions.
More information about mosquito and tick surveillance can be found by visiting www.kalcounty.com/hcs/eh or calling 269-373-5210.
Meanwhile, health officials in Berrien County have announced that they have begun taking similar measures to Kalamazoo County.
Of the cases confirmed last fall, two cases were found in Berrien County residents and one death occurred as a result.
“The human risk to a community for any cases of EEE is a complex interaction, which varies from year to year and includes factors such as temperature, humidity, rainfall patterns, migratory bird populations, and types of mosquito populations present in a particular area,” Berrien County Health Department medical director Dr. Rick Johansen said. “Some years, the virus remains in the animal population alone, including birds, horses, and other large mammals, but when mosquito populations are high, it’s possible for the virus to spread to humans as well.”
Additionally, the Berrien County Health Department will be monitoring for ticks as well, which are also known to spread disease.
Ticks can attach to any part of the human body, but prefer body creases and areas with hair such as the groin, armpit, ankle and scalp. Officials say to check yourself, kids, and pets for ticks after spending time outdoors.
Citizens can send photos of suspected ticks to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to have an expert help identify what kinds are found.
Citizens can also download “The Tick App” to learn how to avoid ticks and tick-borne diseases.
State information about emerging vector-borne illnesses can be found online at www.michigan.gov/emergingdiseases.
