The Detroit Health Department is urging residents to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites after a dead bird found near a freeway in the city tested positive for West Nile virus.
The health department said Monday it was notified by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services that the falcon found near Seven Mile and the Southfield Freeway had the virus. Officials noted in a news release that no cases of the virus have been reported or confirmed in humans in Detroit or Wayne County.
Residents are encouraged to avoid mosquito bites, which is how West Nile and other viruses can spread. Here are some tips:
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, avoid going outdoors when mosquitoes are active and wear insect repellent
- Ensure window and door screens are secured to help keep mosquitoes outside
- Empty standing water from mosquito breeding sites from areas around the home, including buckets, bird baths, or other sites where mosquitoes might lay eggs
- Use mosquito nets and/or fans when utilizing outdoor eating areas
West Nile symptoms can be mild to severe and include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting or a rash on the chest, stomach or back. West Nile virus can affect anyone but those 60 years or older are more vulnerable.
Last month, MDHS confirmed Michigan’s first human case of West Nile this year. The Livingston County resident contracted the disease out of state and became sick in June, according to the Department.
The human case was confirmed after the virus was detected in Macomb County, just two counties over, from a sample of mosquitoes collected on July 11. Over a dozen pools of mosquitoes in Bay, Kent, Ottawa, Saginaw and St. Clair counties have tested positive for West Nile.
Anyone who believes they might have contracted the virus are encouraged to contact their health care provider immediately.
More information about the virus can be found on the (MDHHS) website. Residents who need to report a deceased animal they believe may have contracted West Nile virus are instructed to contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) using the following link: “Eyes in the Field” reporting site. Click here for further information on insect repellants.