“EEE is one of the most dangerous mosquito-borne diseases in the United States, with a 33 percent fatality rate in people who become ill,” Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) said in a statement.

The risk of bites is highest for people who work and play outdoors in affected areas,” the department said.

The health department also urged people to to cancel or postpone outdoor events that take place at or after dusk.

“MDHHS continues to encourage local officials in the affected counties to consider postponing, rescheduling or canceling outdoor activities occurring at or after dusk, particularly those involving children, to reduce the potential for people to be bitten by mosquitoes,” said Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at the MDHHS, in a statement, according to USA Today.

last year, the highest rate since the U.S.

In May, a couple months after COVID-19 began seeping across the U.S., reports emerged saying killer hornets from Asia had arrived in Washington state. The hornets kill upwards of 50 people in China and Japan each year, and they also attack honeybees, which pollinate the fruits and vegetables we eat.