Overview
- An adult in Toronto with no travel history became the first Canadian to acquire West Nile virus domestically this season, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
- West Nile virus spreads when mosquitoes bite infected birds and then humans, with most cases asymptomatic and up to two percent leading to serious neuroinvasive illness.
- There is no vaccine or antiviral treatment for West Nile virus, making supportive care and rehabilitation the only options for those who develop severe symptoms.
- Public health authorities recommend using insect repellents containing DEET or Icaridine, wearing long clothing after dusk and eliminating standing water to curb mosquito breeding.
- PHAC data show low rates of West Nile infection among Canadian mosquitoes, keeping overall human risk low despite annual variation in case counts.