West Nile virus found in Toronto mosquitoes

YorkRegion.com
Aug.12, 2014

Toronto Public Health says mosquitoes in the city have tested positive for the West Nile Virus.

The office says it's the first positive test for the virus in Toronto for 2014, but no human cases of the virus have been reported to date.

Elaine Pacheco, Healthy Environments Manager for Toronto Public Health, says the finding is a good reminder for the public to protect themselves from mosquito bites and to remove standing water from areas where mosquitoes can breed.

The office says although the risk of becoming infected is low, everyone is urged to avoid getting bitten by wearing light coloured, long-sleeved clothing, using mosquito repellent and avoiding areas with large numbers of mosquitoes especially during dusk and dawn.

Toronto Public Health has 43 mosquito traps throughout the city and submits mosquitoes for lab tests every week. The city also treats catch basins and other areas of standing water with larvicide to reduce mosquito breeding.

Last year, Toronto Public Health reported 18 positive mosquito pools and 12 human cases of West Nile Virus.