WINDSOR

Mosquito known to carry Zika found in Windsor

Rich Garton CTV Windsor
Published Wednesday, October 5, 2016 2:46PM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, October 5, 2016 3:32PM EDT

A mosquito acquires a blood meal from a human at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta in 2006. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention / James Gathany)

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The Asian tiger mosquito – known to transmit the Zika virus to humans – has been trapped in Windsor.

According to the Windsor Essex County Health Unit, the Aedes albopictus species was trapped during a routine monitoring and surveillance for West Nile Virus in Windsor.

It’s part of the mosquito species that has the potential to transmit Zika virus to humans, though the mosquito found by the Health Unit tested negative for Zika.

The health unit will be hosting a press conference Thursday with medical officer of health, Dr. Gary Kirk, and Dr. Doug Sider, the medical director of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control.

The press conference begins at 10 a.m. at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.