BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Staff Writer

The Oakland County Health Department issued a health advisory last week warning of equine encephalitis, a potentially fatal disease transmitted by mosquitos.
Clarkston Community Schools applied mosquito repellent around athletic fields at Sashabaw Middle School, Clarkston Junior High, and Clarkston High School on Sept. 18-19, when there were no scheduled outdoor events.
“Though there have been no EEE cases reported in Oakland County, we are following this issue closely,” wrote Superintendent Shawn Ryan in an email to the community. “At this time, we are not canceling outdoor evening events on our campuses.”
The district recommends using EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol. People are also advised to wear long pants and shirts, limit outdoor activities from dusk to dawn, window and door screens, don’t prop open doors, empty water from mosquito breeding sites such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, and old tires, and use nets and/or fans over outdoor eating areas.