MARQUETTE, MI— Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been found in Marquette County.
The Marquette County Health Department was recently notified that EEE was detected in a ruffed grouse. It’s the third case identified in the county since 2017. Officials say the presence of EEE in wild bird populations is an indication it’s being spread by local mosquitoes.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the U.S., and avoiding mosquito bites is the primary form of protection. About 30 percent of people who contract EEE die, and many who survive the infection are left with permanent neurologic damage. The disease has a 90 percent fatality rate in horses.
Officials say mosquito-borne illness will continue to be a risk in Michigan until nighttime temperatures consistently fall below freezing.
