West Nile detected in Haliburton County
By Chad Ingram
July 13, 2017
The West Nile virus has been discovered in a batch of mosquitoes from Haliburton County.
According to the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health unit, mosquitoes collected in the county on July 6 tested positive for West Nile. It is the first incident of West Nile discovered in the area served by the health unit in 2017. No human cases have been reported.
Residents are urged to take precautions such as wearing light-coloured, long-sleeved clothing, applying insect repellent and keeping areas near homes clear of standing water, such as that in old tires or unused barrels.
Last year, 211 mosquito pools in Ontario tested positive for West Nile virus and there 50 recorded human cases in the province.
According to the health unit, most people who contract West Nile virus do no exhibit any symptoms, but some may experience headaches, stiff necks and muscle weakness. In severe cases, confusion and tremors can occur.