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Birds test positive for West Nile virus in Simcoe-Muskoka region
August 17, 2023 · 0 Comments
By Brian Lockhart
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit has received notification from Public Health Ontario that two dead birds found in Oro-Medonte and Bracebridge have tested positive for West Nile virus.
This is the first lab-confirmed evidence of the virus in Simcoe Muskoka this year.
As of August 4, no confirmed human cases of the mosquito-borne viral disease have been reported in Ontario in 2023.
West Nile virus circulates between birds and some species of mosquitoes. The virus can be transmitted to humans by a mosquito bit if the mosquito has first bitten an infected bird.
The risk of contracting the virus from infected mosquitoes is highest in late summer.
The Health Unit recommends taking personal protection measures, including using an approved mosquito repellent, wearing light-coloured clothing and cover-up in areas where mosquitoes are present, and staying indoors when mosquitoes are most active – dusk and dawn.
While most people will not become sick if bitten by an infected mosquito, West Nile virus can cause severe illness in some people.
Symptoms include fever, muscle weakness, stiff neck, confusion, severe headache and a sudden sensitivity to light. In very rare cases, the virus may cause serious neurological illness.
Anyone experiencing symptoms should seek medical advice.
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