WINDSOR

Chatham-Kent mosquito pool tests positive for West Nile virus

CTV Windsor Published Tuesday, July 25, 2017 10:58AM EDT

This 2006 photo made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a female Aedes aegypti mosquito acquiring a blood meal from a human host at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

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Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit officials say a pool of mosquitoes collected from a trap this week in the Southeast area of Chatham has tested positive for West Nile virus.

West Nile Virus is mainly transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito. Very few people infected with the virus have any symptoms at all, or they have flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, body aches and fatigue.

Those with more severe illness may experience stiff neck, nausea, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, and lack of co-ordination or paralysis.

Anyone with the sudden onset of these severe symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

The health unit says the chances of getting West Nile virus from an infected mosquito are low. The risk of severe illness increases with age, as well as for those individuals that have compromised immune systems.

Protective measures include:

-Wearing protective, light-coloured clothing, including long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks

-Using insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin and follow the label directions

-Staying indoors when mosquitoes are most active (dusk to dawn)

-Ensuring that all door and window screens are tight and free of any holes

-Residents should also take the time to eliminate mosquito breeding sites by removing any standing water from their property.

For more information on West Nile Virus, please visit the Public Health Agency of Canada website at: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/wn-no/index-eng.php or call the Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit at 519.352.7270.