West Nile Virus Visiting Again

West Nile Virus Visiting Again
It is August and the West Nile virus mosquitoes are back in North America according to the Public Health Authorities.

In Canada, they have been found in the Bathurst St. and Eglinton Ave. areas of Toronto, but there have been no cases of the virus among humans so far. However, in the western Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta 225 cases have been reported. In fact, an 80 year old man has already died of the illness, and two cases were also observed in British Columbia.

Toronto's associate medical officer of health Dr. Howard Shapiro has stated "The positive mosquito results reinforce the need for the public to continue taking precautions to safeguard themselves from West Nile virus."

Things are far more serious in the United States, however. A man has died of the in Los Angeles, bringing the death toll to six in California. About 80 cases have been reported across California. In New Mexico four more people have been affected by the virus. The new cases include a 53-year-old woman from Bernalillo County who has been hospitalized with encephalitis. The remaining three people are recovering at home.

The statistics are very similar to those of 2003. That was a bad year in which 1500 cases had been reported.

Only about one in five infected people become ill as a result of a bite from a mosquito carrying the virus. The common symptoms are fever and a rash. There are also cases of fatigue and nausea. The chances of contracting the disease grow in proportion to one's age. People older than 50 are at most risk for serious disease from West Nile Virus. 1% of those who contract the disease are admitted into hospitals. The situation is most grim in August and September.

The virus, is spread to humans by mosquitoes which get it from infected birds, not from human to human or bird to human.

The virus may be more dangerous than originally thought as a new study points to several risk factors for developing deadly encephalitis as a result of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus infection.

About 1 percent of people infected with the virus develop a high fever, and may suffer from neck stiffness, headache, disorientation,stupor, tremors,coma, convulsions, , vision loss, muscle weakness, numbness and paralysis. If the virus is allowed to enter the brain, it can cause encephalitis or meningitis.

Health Departments recommend using mosquito repellents such as DEET, wearing light colored clothing so as not to attract the insects and covering up in areas where the mosquitoes have been found, cleaning and chlorinating swimming pools, and keeping windows and doors screened or closed,. Removing all stagnant water from around your property will eliminate mosquito breeding sites.