The Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) has identified the first probable case of West Nile Virus in the county this year.
Officials announced the news in a statement on Thursday, Sept. 10, encouraging residents to protect themselves against mosquito-borne diseases.
"This is an important reminder that West Nile Virus and other similar diseases are present in the fall," OCHD Health Officer Kate Guzmán said. "We strongly encourage residents to protect themselves from mosquitoes until the first hard frost of the year."
Statewide in 2026, there have been seven confirmed cases of humans being infected with mosquito-borne diseases, one with eastern equine encephalitis and six with West Nile Virus.
Mosquitoes contract West Nile Virus by biting an infected
bird, and then the infected mosquitoes spread it to humans by biting them.
Most people infected with the virus have either no symptoms or experience a mild illness such as fever, headache, and body aches, health officials said. However, in some individuals, a more serious disease-causing inflammation and swelling of the brain can develop.
People over the age of 50 are more likely to develop serious and potentially life-threatening symptoms of West Nile Virus if they do get sick.
No further information is available about the patient because of health privacy laws.
Residents, especially older adults, are urged to protect themselves from mosquito bites by following these instructions:
- Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) registered insect repellent. All EPA-registered insect repellents are evaluated for safety and effectiveness and will contain DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) as the active ingredient. Repellents containing a higher percentage of the active ingredient typically provide longer-lasting protection.
- Always follow the product label instructions.
- Be careful using repellent on the hands of children, as it may irritate the eyes and mouth.
- Adults should spray insect repellent onto their hands and then apply to a child’s face.
- Do not use products containing OLE or PMD on children under 3 years old.
- Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by removing standing water around your home. Turn over any container that can collect water. Once a week, empty items that hold water such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, pet bowls, flowerpots and trash containers.
- Clean clogged roof gutters, especially if leaves tend to plug the drains.
- Treat standing water − such as retention ponds or drainage ditches − with a mosquito larvicide. It is easy to use and can be purchased at most home improvement stores.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants.
- Limit outdoor activity from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most active
- Make sure there are no holes in window and door screens. Do not prop open doors.
For more information about West Nile Virus, visit OakGov.com/Health or call the Oakland Connects Helpline at 800-848-5533, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. For up-to-date public health information, follow @publichealthOC on Facebook, X and Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Oakland County IDs first probable case of West Nile Virus this year
