Willowdale councillor John Filion diagnosed with West Nile virus

Thestar.com
August 31, 2020

Toronto Coun. John Filion has been diagnosed with West Nile virus.

Filion, a former chair of Toronto’s Board of Health and Councillor for Willowdale, made the diagnosis public on Twitter and in his e-newsletter, and confirmed it by telephone.

The disease is usually borne by mosquito bite and has been in Toronto for more than 20 years. Symptoms include rashes, swollen lymph glands, nausea and vomiting, headaches and fever.

Last week, Toronto Public Health reported the first confirmed case of West Nile virus in Toronto while in 2019 there were nine laboratory-confirmed human cases and 10 positive mosquito tests.

In his newsletter, Filion said he first noted symptoms Aug. 17.

“I woke with an extreme case of double vision, quickly followed by an extremely high temperature and very high blood pressure,” he wrote. “This led me to Michael Garron Hospital, where I was admitted and sent for a battery of tests. After more than a week, I got the surprising result: West Nile virus.”

Reached at home, Filion declined to speak on the record but confirmed what he wrote in his newsletter: he is resting at home as the more serious symptoms have subsided.

“I am now at home dealing with the main remaining one: extreme fatigue,” said Filion, who wrote that the rare occurrence of the disease should serve as a reminder, as most people’s attention is on preventing the spread of COVID-19.

“It is a very random thing that the mosquito found me, but mine is a cautionary tale that you can’t be too careful about protecting yourself outdoors,” he said.

Filion had high praise for the physicians at Michael Garron, “who were able to make the West Nile diagnosis because they kept testing for everything until they hit on the right one -- even though the original symptoms did not entirely match.”

Toronto Public Health recommends that in the summer months people remember to wear insect repellent and light-coloured clothing, pants and long-sleeved shirts to prevent being bitten by infected mosquitoes.