Michigan Officials Warn Against Outdoor Activity In 8 Counties

Michigan officials are trying to stop the Eastern Equine Encephalitis outbreak in southwestern Michigan by asking residents of 8 counties to avoid outdoor activities during evening hours until further notice.

The counties that received the warning are: Barry, Berrien, Cass, Genesee, Kalamazoo, Lapeer, St. Joseph and Van Buren.  According to a MLive.com post yesterday, "The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, in a news release sent Tuesday, Sept. 17, warned the public to avoid outdoor activities at dusk"

Most of the counties listed are on the edge of or outside of our listening area, but they do border most West Michigan counties so it might be a good idea to just avoid outdoor activity in the evening anyway.

If you haven't heard about the outbreak yet, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a rare mosquito borne virus that can result in death or brain damage.  There have been 7 reported cases of EEE in Michigan since July, with a few deaths resulting from the infections.

If you want to read more about the virus and the warning by The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, you can check out the MLive article I referenced earlier, or head over to the MDHHS website.