For 2022 West Nile Virus Activity information click here.
Know the Buzz about mosquito bites. Oakland County Residents are urged to follow prevention tips to protect themselves from mosquito-borne diseases. The best way to prevent diseases spread by mosquitoes is to avoid being bitten.
Follow these tips to protect you and your family:
Prevent mosquito bites
The best way to prevent diseases spread by mosquitoes is to avoid being bitten. The following can help protect you and your family from mosquito bites:
- Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellant. All EPA-registered insect repellants are evaluated for safety and effectiveness.
- Always follow the product label instructions.
- Do not use insect repellant on babies younger than 2 months of age.
- Do not apply insect repellant on a child's hands, eyes, mouth, cut or irritated skin.
- Adults: spray insect repellant on your hands and then apply to a child's face.
- Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts and pants.
- Avoid areas where mosquitoes may be present, including indoor areas
Control mosquitoes at home
- Maintain window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of buildings. Do not prop open doors.
- Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by removing standing water in and around your home:
- Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, roof gutters, or trash containers.
Prevent the spread of disease
View mosquito-borne diseases information - those are spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Some diseases that are spread by mosquitoes include Zika virus, West Nile virus, Jamestown Canyon virus, St. Louis Encephalitis (SLE) virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus, and LaCrosse (LAC) virus.
What is Oakland County Health Division Doing to Prevent Mosquito-Borne Disease?
Mosquito Surveillance
Using a mix of Light traps and BG Sentinel 2 traps, Oakland County Health Division collects thousands of mosquitoes from June through October. Mosquitoes are sorted by type and tested for disease by Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
West Nile Virus Prevention Reimbursement Program for Cities, Villages, and Townships
Oakland County provides funding to assist interested Oakland County cities, village, and townships (CVTs) with instituting public health measures (such as personal protection and larviciding) to reduce the risk of mosquito-borne disease. Appropriation available to each CVT is based on total population (75%) and total square miles (25%). The majority of Oakland County CVTs participate in the program annually. Funding was established by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners in 2003.
To be eligible for reimbursement, CVTs must:
- Attend an annual workshop to learn about updates in mosquito-borne disease
- Submit a project plan indicating proposed funding use and estimated cost
- Submit a resolution adopted by the CVT's legislative board or council authoring participation in the program
- Submit an authorization request and proof of incurred expenses
The program operates from March through August and encompasses the prevention of all mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile virus, Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus, and Jamestown Canyon virus.
For more information, contact Genessa Doolittle at doolittleg@oakgov.com or 248-496-4590.
2023 WNV Prevention Reimbursement Program Workshop
Oakland County Health Division will host the annual workshop for the West Nile Virus (WNV) Prevention Reimbursement Program for Cities, Villages and Townships:
Thursday, March 23rd
9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Virtually (Microsoft Teams)
This year’s workshop will focus on Oakland County surveillance and details of the 2023 WNV Prevention Reimbursement Program (such as local jurisdiction reimbursement allocations, reimbursement procedures, and program due dates). Pre-registration for the training is required - contact Genessa Doolittle at doolittleg@oakgov.com