West Nile on rise, officials advise taking precautions - Hometownlife.com

While health officials said this week that the West Nile Virus has reached epidemic proportions in Michigan, there were no known cases in Farmington or Farmington Hills.

“Botsford has not had any confirmed cases on West Nile Virus this year at all,” said Beth Montalvo, of Botsford Hospital Community Relations, on Thursday.

That doesn't mean no one in the community has the mosquito-borne virus.

“It's not immediately apparent,” she said of the illness, which causes flu-like symptoms.

“A lot of people just get better on their own,” she said. “If they are an otherwise healthy person, they don't necessarily have to seek hospital care. A lot of times it's people who are older, whose immune system is compromised, who are at risk.”

Neighboring communities, such as Canton and Livonia, have reported they have residents who have tested positive for West Nile Virus.

The fifth death from West Nile in Michigan was confirmed this week in Grand Rapids.

West Nile is known as a seasonal virus, with most cases likely from the end of summer to October, when colder weather arrives, according to fact sheets from health agencies.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most often, West Nile is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. They can then spread the virus to humans and other animals when they bite.

As of Aug. 28, 48 states have reported West Nile Virus infections in people, birds, or mosquitoes to CDC, and there have been 65 deaths nationwide.

The 1,590 cases reported thus far in 2012 to the CDC is the highest number reported through the last week in August since West Nile Virus was first detected in the United States in 1999, according to the CDC.

Over 70 percent of the cases have been reported from six states: Texas, South Dakota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Michigan.

The Oakland County Health Division has received reports of 12 human cases of West Nile Virus.

Take precautions

The agency reminds residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites while outdoors during Labor Day weekend with the following simple precautions:

• Avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
• Avoid shady and wooded areas during daytime hours.
• Wear light colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors.
• Apply insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or other EPA approved repellent to exposed skin or clothing, while always following the manufacturer's directions for use.
• Maintain window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes out of buildings.
• Empty water from mosquito breeding sites such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, old tires or similar sites where mosquitoes lay eggs.

  City efforts

  Both Farmington and Farmington Hills take annual preventive measures to prevent the mosquito from breeding.

  In Farmington Hills, city workers have treated all city-owned storm water catch basins with a slow-release, 150-day larvicide known to kill mosquitoes. The chemicals in the briquettes, approved for use by the EPA, reduce the mosquito population and greatly decrease the risk of infection.

  In the City of Farmington, the same procedures have been done.

  Chuck Eudy, superintendent of public services in Farmington, said that other measures taken include monitoring ditches for standing water.

  “We try to regrade the ditch lines to eliminate standing water,” he said.

  The city also monitors other areas of the city for standing water and enforces maintenance of business and other properties to minimize standing water, he said.

  “Up until recently, it's been a very minimal year for mosquitoes,” Eudy noted, because it's been so dry.

  Informational fliers are also made available at city hall and other areas, he said.

  Evaluate your property

  Property owners are urged to evaluate water on their property.

  If the water is in a creek or retention area that's healthy, running, or non-stagnant, then it's not considered a prime area for mosquito breeding and doesn't need to be treated. But, if the water is stagnant, such as in a private storm sewer catch basin located in a driveway, backyard, side yard, or subdivision open space, it can be easily treated with a drop-in larvicide from a local retailer.

  “If you have old tires or bird baths (for example), keep those empty and dry,” said Farmington Hills City Manager Steve Brock.

  ssteinmueller@hometownlife.com (313)222-2241