New Yorkers and Ontarians Reminded To Protect Themselves Against West Nile Virus

Ontarians and New Yorkers need to continue taking proper precautions to reduce their risk of contracting West Nile Virus as the number of mosquitoes with the virus is on the rise, especially in Southern Ontario. Eighty-nine positive mosquito pools have been found in the province to date, which is the highest for the same time period since 2002. The province is also seeing probable and confirmed human cases of West Nile virus, which typically start to occur in August and September.

To date this year in New York, a total of 271 mosquito pools have tested positive for West Nile virus in counties across the state. The New York City Department of Health confirmed the first human case of West Nile virus in the state. In 2011 there were 44 cases of West Nile Virus, two of which were fatal.

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause serious illness and occasionally death. Many people who contract West Nile virus do not experience any type of illness; an estimated 20 percent of people who become infected will develop mild symptoms including fever, headache and body aches, and possibly a skin rash or swollen lymph glands. Severe infection (West Nile encephalitis or meningitis) causes symptoms such as high fever, neck stiffness, muscle weakness, headaches, stupor, disorientation, tremors, convulsions, paralysis and coma. It is estimated that one in 150 persons infected with the West Nile virus will experience more severe cases of the disease.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites by:

* Wearing light-colored clothing, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks and shoes when outdoors

* Using insect repellent containing DEET, and following the directions carefully

* Avoiding the outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active

* Repairing or replacing screens on windows and doors to avoid mosquitoes entering your home.

It is also important for people to reduce prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes by draining standing water from around their home on a regular basis.

* Dispose of used tires, tin cans, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar containers in which water collects;

* Drill holes in the bottoms of recycling containers that are kept outdoors.

*Make sure roof gutters drain properly and clean clogged gutters in the spring and fall;

* Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use and change the water in bird baths twice a week;

* Clean vegetation and debris from the edges of ponds; and

* Clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs, and drain water from pool covers.