Confirmed EEE Case in Baldwin County

News 5 has learned that the Baldwin County Helath Department has confirmed the first case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis. The Health Department detected EEE in two sentinel chickens in the Orange Beach area back in June, and one sentinel chicken in Gulf Shores.
Health officials say it's important to limit your exposure to mosquitoes to avoid EEE. Environmentalist Rachel Beck recommends keeping repellant on hand when your outdoors.

Mosquito-borne viruses like EEE and West Nile Virus from bird to mosquito to bird. When birds become scarce, sometimes mosquitoes will take blood from mammals like humans and horses. That's how humans and horses become ill. Although there are vaccines available to horses, there is no vaccine for West Nile or EEE available to humans.

Since mosquitoes are commonly found throughout much of Alabama, health officials offer practical strategies for the mosquito season:
PERSONAL PROTECTION: CLOTHING AND AROMATICS
1. Wear loose fitting, light colored clothes to help prevent mosquitoes from reaching the skin and to retain less heat, making yourself less “attractive” to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are more attracted to dark colors.
2. When possible, wear long sleeves and long pants.
3. Avoid perfumes, colognes, fragrant hair sprays, lotions and soaps, which attract mosquitoes.
PERSONAL PROTECTION: REPELLENTS
1. Follow the label instructions when applying repellents. Permethrin repellents are only for clothes – not for application on the skin.
2. When using repellents avoid contact with the eyes, lips and nasal membranes. Use concentrations of less than 10 percent when applying DEET – containing products on children.
3. Apply DEET repellent on arms, legs and other exposed areas but never under clothing.
4. After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water.
5. Citronella candles and repellents containing citronella can help, but their range is limited. Herbals such as cedar, geranium, pennyroyal, lavender, cinnamon, and garlic are not very effective.
PERSONAL PROTECTION: AROUND THE HOME
1. Mosquito activities peaks at dusk and again at dawn; restrict outdoor activity during these hours.
2. Keep windows and door screens in good condition.
3. Replace porch lights with yellow light bulbs that will attract fewer insects.
4. Mosquitoes breed in standing water; empty all water from old tires, cans, jars, buckets, drums, plastic wading pools, toys, and other containers.
5. Clean clogged gutters.
6. Remove the rim from potted plants and replace water in plant/flower vases weekly.
7. Replenish pet watering dishes daily and rinse bird baths twice weekly.
8. Fill tree holes and depressions left by fallen trees with dirt or sand.
9. Stock ornamental ponds with mosquito fish or use larvicide “doughnuts.”