In a year already overcome by a global pandemic, a rare mosquito-borne disease is popping up in at least two states.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services this week announced a confirmed case of Jamestown Canyon virus, spread by the same kind of mosquitoes that carry other more common diseases like West Nile virus. The infected person lives in Ottawa County, which is on the shore of Lake Michigan just west of Grand Rapids and includes the city of Holland. New Hampshire reported a case of the disease earlier this month. The infections are both states’ first reports of any mosquito-borne virus so far this year. No further information was released about the patient in Michigan. The New Hampshire resident was hospitalized with neurological symptoms but has since been discharged and is recovering at home, the state health department said. The disease is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes who bite infected animals, most commonly deer, according to the centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s not spread from person to person, the CDC added. Symptoms include fever, fatigue and headache, and can show up to anywhere from a few days to two weeks after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the virus. Severe cases can result in encephalitis or meningitis. About half of the patients with the disease are hospitalized, but most recover. The World Mosquito Program says more than 700 million people are infected with mosquito-borne diseases each year, and about 1 million die. In the U.S, we most often hear about West Nile Virus, which infected 958 people nationwide in 2019 and killed 54, according to the CDC. Last year also brought a record number of cases of the rare but deadly Eastern Equine Encephalitis. The CDC reported that 38 people were infected in the U.S., more than twice as many as in any other year in the past decade, and 15 died. At least 10 of those cases were in Michigan.

The best way to prevent mosquito-borne illnesses is to avoid being bitten. Follow these tips from the CDC to help protect yourself:

*Use insect repellent.

*Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.

*Use screens on windows and doors, and air conditioning, if available.

*Eliminate any outdoor containers that may contain water, a prime spot for mosquitoes to lay eggs.

By using a Paraclipse Systems LLC Mosquito Eliminator as shown below. This product will help reduce and control the mosquito populations in a safe, quiet, and clean manner using no insecticides or pesticides.

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Article Source: Jan Wesner Childs on July 17th, 2020 www.weather.com