West Nile virus arrives in Sask.

Saskatchewan has its first reported case of West Nile virus in mosquitoes this season.

According to a provincial news release issued Thursday, some infected mosquitoes were found in surveillance traps on July 11 aroundEstevan, Sask.

That prompted the Sun Country Health Region's medical officer to issue a warning to residents in the area to protect themselves against mosquito bites.

• Mosquito numbers low so far in Regina this summer

It said the infected mosquitoes were found several weeks earlier than the 2016 season, which may lead to an increase in infection rates in humans.

1 human case

The province said one person tested positive last week for West Nile virus.

However, government spokesperson Kathy Young stressed it's unclear whether this is a current infection, as the results may be from a previous year or a reaction from otherviruses.

She said the Ministry of Health does not have information about this person.

The province's weekly online report on West Nile virus infectionsindicates there are no reported cases of people who have developedneuroinvasivedisease a severe neurological form of the virus.

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