SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN — After a postponement due to poor weather, areas of Berrien County and Cass County are scheduled to receive aerial spraying treatment to combat mosquito-borne disease tonight.
After the rise of Eastern Equine Encephalitis, a mosquito-borne illness that has confirmed cases in southwest Michigan, including Cass and Berrien counties, this summer, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has announced aerial spraying treatment will take place, weather permitting, from 8 p.m. tonight to 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Originally, spraying was scheduled to take place Sunday but was rescheduled due to inclement weather.
“This is all weather dependent,” said Gillian Conrad, communications manager for the Berrien County Health Department. “No spraying will take place before the sun sets, because we know the type of mosquito carrying the EEE virus is most active during those nighttime hours. I’m hopeful that the weather will be optimal for us to be able to do that tonight.”
EEE is a rare but serious disease that is caused by a virus spread by infected mosquitoes. Symptoms of EEE include the sudden onset of headache, high fever, chills and vomiting. Approximately one-third of the human cases of EEE are fatal, according to MDHHS.
Both Conrad and MDHHS officials said aerial spraying of insecticide Merus 3.0 is a necessary step to help stop the spread of EEE in southwest Michigan. If sprayed in optimal conditions, the product could reduce the adult mosquito population 90 to 95 percent.
Though Conrad acknowledged that citizens have concerns about aerial spraying, both she and MDHHS officials said Merus 3.0 had been shown to have no adverse short or long-term health effects on either people or animals. However, those with sensitivities or allergies can remain indoors, close windows, and turn off fans or air conditioning units that bring outdoor air inside.
“There are no special actions that are needed for residents to take,” Conrad said.
Even after spraying occurs, both the Berrien County Health Department and MDHHS recommends that residents take precautions outdoors after dusk until the first heavy frost of the season. Precautions include using bug spray, wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors, maintain windows screens and empty water from mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, old tires or similar sites where mosquitoes may lay eggs.