County resident tests positive for West Nile virus

Ontario Public Health labs have confirmed a positive case of West Nile virus (WNv) in a Prince Edward County resident.

While the presence of mosquitoes carrying WNv was reported by Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) during the summer of 2024, this is the first human case of WNv reported in Hastings and Prince Edward counties since 2022.

“This positive human case of WNv serves as a reminder that there is still a risk of WNv in our region as we move into cooler months, while mosquitos remain active,” said Dr. Ethan Toumishey, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH. “As we head into a long weekend, residents are encouraged to enjoy the outdoors, but please continue to take steps to protect themselves against WNv. Take extra precautions at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active, wear clothes that will minimize exposed skin, use bug sprays with DEET or Icaridin, and make sure there’s no standing water on your property.”

HPEPH continues to conduct surveillance for cases of WNv in humans to ensure accurate tracking of occurrence of the virus both locally and provincially. In addition, each summer public health collects samples from mosquito pools and submits these for testing, to understand if WNv is present in the region, and to help determine the risk of mosquito-borne diseases in the population.

WNv is an infection found in birds and carried by mosquitoes which feed on infected birds. WNv is spread to humans and animals through bites by infected mosquitoes. Early symptoms of WNV can include fever, muscle weakness, stiff neck, confusion, severe headache, sudden sensitivity to light, tremors, numbness, or vision loss.

Most infected individuals have mild symptoms or none at all. In severe cases, WNv can cause inflammation of the brain, known as encephalitis. If individuals believe they are experiencing early symptoms of WNv, they are encouraged to contact their primary health care provider.

Steps to protect yourself from WNv
– Wear light-coloured clothing and minimize exposed skin if you are out at dawn and dusk.
– Use an insect repellant containing DEET or Icaridin and follow manufacturer’s directions.
– Consider wearing permethrin-treated clothing.
– Remove any sources of standing water where mosquitoes can lay their eggs, including jars, discarded tires, clogged gutters, yard decorations, and stock tanks.
– Empty bird baths every other day and cover rain barrels with a tight-fitting fly screening.
– If you encounter a dead bird, do not handle it with bare hands, instead, use a shovel to dispose of it.
– If you must handle the bird, wear rubber gloves and wash hands well with soap and water after handling.
– Report dead birds to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative.