Toronto Public Health says the city has seen its first confirmed human case of West Nile Virus this year.
The health unit said Thursday it has received laboratory confirmation that a Toronto man in his 50s tested positive for the disease.
"While the risk of becoming infected with West Nile virus in Toronto remains low, we ask that residents take the proper precautions to protect themselves," Dr. Howard Shapiro, Toronto's acting medical officer of health said in the release.
West Nile Virus is spread by mosquitos and the best way to limit its spread is by taking measures to discourage mosquito breeding, Toronto Public Health says.
Tips for doing so include:
- Wear light-coloured clothing including long-sleeved shirts, pants, socks and a hat when outdoors
- Use mosquito repellent approved by Health Canada and follow product instructions
- Take extra care during peak mosquito-biting time (dusk and dawn) by using mosquito repellent and wearing protective clothing
- Remove standing water from your property, where mosquitoes can breed
- Make sure your home has tight-fitting screens on windows and doors.
"It's very weather dependent. If we have a streak of very nice, warm weather that's very conducive to the virus staying in the mosquitoes and the mosquitoes being active, so it can stretch from now into the first couple weeks into September," Shapiro told CTV Toronto.
West Nile virus symptoms usually develop between two and 15 days after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito and symptoms may include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, body aches, skin rash and swollen lymph glands.
Last year Toronto Public Health conformed 13 human cases of the disease in the city.
