West Nile virus found in Ottawa mosquitoes for 1st time this year

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is asking residents to protect themselves against mosquito bites after the discovery of West Nile virus in the insects for the first time in 2020.

The virus was found in mosquitoes trapped in an undisclosed part of the city, OPH said Tuesday.

"Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more people are spending time outdoors in urban settings, including on their porches, in their gardens, and in local parks," said Ottawa's medical officer of health Vera Etches in a news release.

"These settings are ideal for the mosquitoes that transmit West Nile virus."

OPH said it regularly checks mosquito traps for the virus and uses a larvicideinwater on city-owned property.

People can help avoid mosquito bites by:

• Reducing standing water sites around theirhomes (bird baths, toys, flower pot saucers, swimming pool covers, etc.).
• Applying a Health Canada-approved mosquito repellent containing DEET or Icaridin to exposed skin and clothing.
• Taking special care to protectthemselvesbetween dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active, and whenever in shady, wooded areas.
• Wearing light-coloured and tightly woven clothing such as long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, shoes and socks to protect exposed skin.
• Making sure all windows and doors in theirhomes have screens that are in good condition.
• Ensuringall openings to rain barrels are covered with screen mesh at all times.

There have been no reported, confirmed or probablehuman cases of West Nile in Ontario yet this year, according to OPH. In 2019, there was onehuman caseof West Nile in Ottawa and 24 in Ontario.

West Nile virus is transmitted from birds to humans by mosquitos, according to Health Canada, which said 70 to 80 per cent of people who are infected don't show any symptoms.

People who do feel the effects of West Nile virus have symptoms ranging from fever, headaches and rashes to, in very rare cases, paralysisand loss of consciousness, Health Canada said.

Symptoms usually appear two to 15 days after someone is bitten by an infected mosquito,and can be more severe in people over 50 or those with weakenedimmune systems.

West Nile season in Canada generally lasts from mid-April until October.