Doctors around Toronto will be alerted to be on the lookout for patients exhibiting symptoms of West Nile after more than half of the mosquito batches tested in the city contained insects with the virus, Toronto Public Health said on Wednesday.
Twenty-four of 43 batches tested positive. Each batch contains about 30 mosquitoes.
Dr. Howard Shapiro, Associate Medical Officer of Health, said the number represented a marked increase.
“That’s the highest amount we’ve ever found this time of year in the 10 years we’ve been doing this program,” he said at an afternoon conference in High Park.
Shapiro blamed the spike on the stretch of warm weather, saying the conditions are ripe for multiplication of the virus.
And barring a cold snap that would kill off a large number of infected mosquitoes, he says there’s a good chance human infections will start to surface.
“Right now if things play out, we are expecting that we may see a fair number of people sick,” he said.
“We want to alert people to the need to take precautions to avoid getting bitten.”
As a result of the latest findings, Toronto Public Health is expanding its larvicide program, treating all city catch basins with pesticides.
So far no human cases of West Nile have been reported in Toronto.
Toronto Public Health tips:
Although the risk of becoming infected is low, protection against mosquito bites can lower this risk further.
The following measures are recommended:
- Use mosquito repellent approved by Health Canada.
- Wear light-coloured clothing and cover up when in areas where mosquitoes are present.
- Take extra precautions, especially in early morning and early evening, when mosquitoes are most active.
- Remove standing water around your home and property.
For more information, visit http://www.toronto.ca/health/westnile or call 416-338-7600.