Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/Sept. 24, 2024
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) has received lab confirmation that a horse from Hastings County has tested positive for eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV). EEEV is spread to horses, and rarely humans, through the bite of infected mosquitoes. The virus cannot be transmitted from horses to humans. Human infections are rare in Ontario, and to date there have been no human cases in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.
Horses can be protected by a vaccine against EEEV, but there is no vaccine for humans. It is recommended that residents protect themselves against mosquito bites to reduce their risk of getting EEEV.
To protect yourself from EEEV:
- Apply a Health Canada-approved mosquito repellent containing DEET or icaridin/picaridin as directed by the manufacturer and only apply on exposed skin, not under clothing.
- Icaridin is preferred for children six months to 12 years of age.
- Do not spray directly on the face or apply to cuts, abrasions or irritated skin.
- Protect yourself when mosquitoes are active, especially between dusk and dawn and any time you are near shady hedges or wooded areas.
- Wear light-coloured, tightly woven, loose-fitting clothing, such as long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, shoes and socks, to protect exposed skin.
- Make sure all windows and doors in your home have screens that are in good condition.
- Remove, or empty at least once per week, standing-water sites around your home, such as bird baths, toys, flower-pot saucers, swimming-pool covers, old tires, wheelbarrows, buckets, and cans.
- Keep all openings to rain barrels covered with screen mesh at all times.
Most people infected by EEEV will not develop symptoms, but severe cases can occur resulting in headaches, high fever, chills and vomiting. The illness may then progress to cause disorientation, seizures, encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and coma – but this is rare. If you experience these symptoms and think you might have EEEV, contact your health care provider.
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Media contacts
Communications Team
communications@hpeph.ca
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
hyland.maureen@hpeph.ca
Emily Tubbs, Communications Specialist
etubbs@hpeph.ca
About Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is a public health agency that serves the counties of Hastings and Prince Edward from four local offices. HPEPH is situated and provides services on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee people. We monitor the health of our local population, deliver programs and services within our communities, and help develop healthy public policies. We provide information and support in many areas to help improve the health and well-being of our residents. Together with our communities, we help people become as healthy as they can be. For more information, please visit hpePublicHealth.ca. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
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