Cambridge Twp., MI – The Lenawee County Health Department (LCHD) has been notified by Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) that a wild turkey in Cambridge Township has tested positive for West Nile virus. To date, no human cases have been reported in Lenawee County in 2024.
This year, ten birds from nine counties (Delta, Grand Traverse, Jackson, Lenawee, Luce, Marquette, Mason, Saginaw, and Washtenaw) and one human case from Livingston County have tested positive for West Nile virus in Michigan.
LCHD is reminding residents that this finding means that West Nile virus is present in Lenawee County. The virus is most commonly spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. While many people infected with the virus do not exhibit symptoms, some may experience fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash within two to 14 days after being bitten. Because there is no vaccine or cure for West Nile virus, preventing infection is important.
The best way to prevent any mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Precautions include:
- Using EPA-registered insect repellents with one of the following active ingredients: DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol and 2-undecanone. Follow the product label instructions and reapply as directed.
- Don’t use repellent on children under 2 months old. Instead dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs and cover crib, stroller and baby carrier with mosquito netting.
- Wearing shoes and socks, light-colored long pants and long-sleeved shirts when outdoors.
- Making sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings.
- Using bed nets when sleeping outdoors or in conditions with no window screens.
- Eliminating all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding around your home, including water in bird baths, abandoned swimming pools, wading pools, old tires and any other object holding water once a week.
- If you observe a bird that seems sick or notice any unusual or unexplained deaths among wild bird populations, please report these incidents to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) by:
For information and surveillance activity about West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne viruses, visit www.michigan.gov/westnile.
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