Jamestown Canyon virus was detected for the first time in Midland, Saginaw and Bay counties in late June.
Rebecca Brandt is the manager for mosquito control in Bay County. She said the virus has been identified in mid-Michigan residents for decades, but a mosquito hasn't tested positive for the disease until this year.
"It is a virus that's hosted in deer and a mosquito will bite that deer and infects the mosquito and then the mosquito then passes that on to a human," Brandt said.
Brandt said the virus is not as common nor as dangerous to humans as the West Nile Virus.
Carl Doud, the director of mosquito control in Midland County said Jamestown Canyon virus poses minimal risk to humans.
“Not many mosquitoes are carrying it, number one. And if you got an infected bite, you're probably not going to even be aware of it. If you do, most cases are only mild," Doud said.
Only a handful of cases can cause severe outcomes like brain swelling, according to Doud.
"It can manifest kind of like West Nile virus with encephalitis," Doud said. "And there's been a few documented deaths from it."
The CDC typically only reports around 20 to 30 cases of Jamestown Canyon virus per year.
Brandt said the best way to prevent mosquito-borne illness is by using FDA-approved bug spray.
"That's the number one way that you can fight the bite is to make sure you're protected by using a DEET product is the number one recommended product for active ingredient to prevent mosquito bites," Brandt said.
Brandt said there are alternative ingredients that are proven to help prevent bug bites like picaridin, and oil of lemon eucalyptus.
Brandt also encourages homeowners to get rid of containers, bird baths or un-chlorinated pools that could become breeding ground for the insect.
