Confirmed report of EEE in Eaton County

Eaton County has confirmed the first animal in the county with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

A deer that was found in the county on 9/10/19 has tested positive for EEE.

There are no cases of humans with EEE in Eaton County.

According to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), 55 cases of EEE have been confirmed in 17 counties. EEE has been confirmed in 10 humans, and 45 animals.

In Barry County, 1 human and 5 animal cases have been confirmed.

The Barry Eaton Department of Health wants to remind residents to continue to take precautions against mosquito bites.

Mosquito populations continue until there is a very hard frost, according to the BEDHD.

"The deer was found in earlier September so there has been a little bit of a window between that, but there's still a risk and those precautions that we had recommended, especially for our population and residents in Barry County, because that's where cases were before, are still in place," said Milea Burgstahler, a community health promotion specialist.

The warmer weather in Michigan is expected to continue well into the month of October, according to the National Weather Service.

This means that mosquitoes that carry the EEE virus can still bite and infect people and animals.

You can protect yourself from mosquito bites by:

• Avoiding being outdoors from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes that carry the EEE virus are most active.

• Applying insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET, or other U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-registered product to exposed skin or clothing, and always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.

• Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors. Apply insect repellent to clothing to help prevent bites.

• Maintaining window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes outside.

• Emptying water from mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, old tires or similar sites where mosquitoes may lay eggs.

• Using nets and/or fans over outdoor eating areas.

For more information on EEE visit

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