An area health unit is asking residents to take precautions as it has a confirmed a case of West Nile Virus (WNV) in mosquito traps set in Brighton.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPRDHU) announced Tuesday (August 6) that a mosquito pool in the east Northumberland County municipality has tested positive for the virus.
The health unit said this marks the first positive case in the region for the season. The mosquito was collected from one of the traps set by health officials on August 1.
HKPRDHU traps and tests mosquitoes on a weekly basis throughout the HKPR district area during the summer and early fall months to monitor for WNV activity. While no mosquitoes tested positive for WNV in the district area last year, there were confirmed human cases in Ontario.
“As we enter the peak season for West Nile Virus, it’s crucial for everyone to take preventive measures seriously,” said Anne Marie Holt, director of health protection with the HKPRDHU, in a media release.
“Protecting yourself from mosquito bites and eliminating standing water around your home are simple yet effective ways to reduce the risk of infection. Negative mosquito pools don’t guarantee that WNV is not present in the community; it only means we didn’t catch a positive mosquito pool. Therefore, it is important for the community to stay vigilant.”
WNV is a viral infection primarily transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Although the majority of WNV cases do not show any symptoms, some infected individuals may experience mild flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, and body aches. Others may develop severe neuro-invasive disease, which disproportionately affects older adults, the release noted.
To prevent WNV, HKPRDHU advises residents to “cover up and clean up”.
Prevent mosquito bites by covering up when outdoors between dusk and dawn, and use insect repellent containing DEET or icaridin. Tidy up at home by removing thick brush, cutting down high vegetation, and removing sources of standing water that can collect in places such as old tires and wheelbarrows. Clean eavestroughs to reduce mosquito habitats.
Also, prevent mosquitoes from coming indoors by ensuring window screens are tight fitting and in good repair.
The infection is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes, particularly the Culex species.
While not all mosquitoes carry WNV, “it is important to stay informed and take precautions during the peak mosquito season, typically from late spring to early fall,” HKPRDHU notes on its website.
According to the Government of Canada, the first human case of WNV infection in the country was reported in Ontario in 2002. The government currently has data related to the number of human cases of WNV reported between 2002 and 2022.
There were in 47 (preliminary) cases reported in 2022.
Surveillance detects only a portion of the WNV cases in Canada, the government noted. The true number of WNV infections in Canada is likely greater.
