State health officials are urging Indiana residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites following reports of a probable case of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in a LaPorte County resident and the detection of the virus in horses in northern Indiana.
As of Sept. 14, two horses in LaGrange County and one horse in Kosciusko County have tested positive for EEE virus. Because there is suitable habitat for mosquitoes throughout the area, residents of all northern Indiana counties should take precautions.
In 2019, northern Indiana experienced a significant outbreak of EEE virus activity, resulting in 14 horse cases, one fatal human case and one positive mosquito sample.
While rare, EEE virus can cause serious illness and has a fatality rate of around 33 percent or higher in people.
Check out the WIMS Facebook page for the full press release.
To see the latest results of the Indiana Department of Health’s mosquito surveillance program, go to https://gis.in.gov/apps/ISDH/Arbo/.