UPDATE: LANSING - Remember the west nile virus? well it’s back and in full force.

This year Michigan has seen a drastic increase in West Nile Virus cases. In past years the average amount of cases was between 20 and 30 with 2 to 3 reported deaths, compared to this years 95 reported cases, 5 resulting in death.

Dr. Dean Sienko, Interim Chief Medical Executive for the Michigan Department of Community Health, said, “this tends to affect people over age fifty and the deaths that we’ve had, the average age has been in the low eighties. But, people over age fifty tend to be the ones who are most at risk.”

Dr. Sienko went on to explain how to prevent getting the virus, those precautions include: refrain from sitting outside past dark, use insect repellant, make sure screens and doors are tightily secured, and eliminate standing water.


ORIGINAL STORY: LANSING - There are simple ways to prevent getting the West Nile Virus.