KALAMAZOO COUNTY, Mich. — Officials in Kalamazoo County are offering free insect repellent containing DEET to "vulnerable residents," they said in a press release Friday, as a way to combat the threat of Eastern Equine Encephalitis.
Kalamazoo County has the highest number of EEE cases, but enough residents opted out of aerial spraying to make it ineffective. This prompted state health officials to decide not to spray there.
The county is working with local community organizations to "reduce the risk of exposure to mosquitoes that carry Eastern Equine Encephalitis." About 400-500 containers of insect repellent will be available at homeless shelters and senior citizen homes in the area, as well as at the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department and the City of Kalamazoo Office.
They will be available at:
Homeless shelters
Open Door Shelter for Men
Kzoo Gospel Mission
Ministry with Community
Open Door Shelter for Women
Senior centers
Ecumenical Sr. Center
Senior Services
South County Community Services
Mental health services
Rickman House
Interact of Michigan
Municipalities
Kalamazoo County HCS
City of Kalamazoo
Portage Community Center
You can find more information about these locations here.
“We are offering these bottles of insect repellent in an effort to provide protection against mosquito bites for those individuals and families that are otherwise unable to reduce their exposure to EEE because they cannot acquire these resources,” said James Rutherford, Health Officer Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services.
Kalamazoo health officials are continuing to urges residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites due to the ongoing risk of exposure to EEE.
To date, there have been nine human cases of EEE in Michigan, and four of those were fatal. As of Friday, over 328,000 acres have been sprayed for the mosquito-borne-illness. And areas in six counties are scheduled to be sprayed tonight.
EEE aerial spray zones
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
