KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Center for Disease Control and the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department is confirming one dealth linked to a case of a severe mosquito-borne disease.
Health officials say there were two cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in Kalamazoo County and one in Berrien County, but one of the Kalamazoo individuals has now died.
There are also two suspected human cases: one in Kalamazoo County and one in Berrien County and two other Kalamazoo County cases still under investigation.
The CDC says that EEE is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S., with a 33% fatality rate in people who become ill and a 90% fatality rate in horses.
Symptoms may start with a fever, chills, and body aches, but can lead to even more serious issues like seizures and can result in death.
In a statement, Health Officer of Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Department Jim Rutherford said, “We strongly encourage residents to take precautions such as using insect repellent with DEET, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors during the peak mosquito-biting hours which are dusk and dawn.”
More tips on how to prevent mosquito bites can be found here.
