The Michigan health department on Wednesday confirmed a locally acquired case of eastern equine encephalitis, a rare mosquito-borne disease.
The patient, a resident of Roscommon County, is the first human case of the disease reported in Michigan since 2021, the state health department said, adding that no animal Eastern equine encephalitis activity was detected in Michigan prior to this.
The rare but serious viral disease is spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito. Only a few human cases are reported each year in the United States.
“EEE is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S., with a 30% fatality rate among people who become ill,” Michigan’s Chief Medical Executive Natasha Bagdasarian said.
Patients with EEE may experience fever, headache, chills and nausea. In some cases, symptoms may progress to inflammation of the brain, signaled by disorientation, seizures and coma.
Additional mosquito trapping and testing is underway in Roscommon County to assess the level of risk in the area, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.
The state health department urged residents to take precautions against mosquito bites, and said it will continue to monitor for signs of EEE in humans, mosquitos, domestic animals and wildlife along with state and local authorities.
