Two dead birds in our region have tested positive for West Nile Virus.
According to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), Public Health Ontario found one in Bracebridge and the other in Oro-Medonte. Officials say they’re the first lab-confirmed cases of the virus in Simcoe Muskoka this year, although no human cases have been reported in the province.
The health unit says the virus can be transmitted to humans by mosquitoes that have bitten an infected bird, and the risk is highest in late summer.
“Finding these infected birds is a reminder that we all need to continue to take appropriate measures to protect ourselves against West Nile virus at this time of year,” says Ramien Sereshk, coordinator of SMDHU’s Healthy Environment and Vector-Borne Diseases program. “The best way to protect yourself is to prevent mosquito bites.”
Officials recommend using bug spray, covering exposed skin with light-coloured clothing, and staying indoors at dawn and dusk when mosquitoes are most active. While most people will not become sick if bitten, some people develop severe symptoms such as fever, muscle weakness, stiffness, confusion, severe headaches, and light-sensitivity–as well as neurological illness in some cases.
