Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/October 10, 2024 – 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.
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 will collect samples from mosquito pools and submit these for testing, to understand if WNv is present in the region, and 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.
“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,” says 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.”
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.
For more information, please visit hpePublicHealth.ca/west-nile-virus.
HPEPH Diseases of Public Health Significance (DOPHS) Dashboard provides monthly reports on local rates of DOPHS, including WNv. You can see the WNv data on the dashboard.
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Media Contacts:
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
hyland.maureen@hpeph.ca
Emily Tubbs, Communications Specialist
etubbs@hpeph.ca
Communications Team
communications@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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