Moderate risk of West Nile Virus in Yorkton

Summer brings with it mosquitoes, and those mosquitoes bring with them problems of their own. If they are culex mosquitoes, that problem is West Nile Virus. The current risk for contracting the virus in Yorkton is moderate, and West Nile infected mosquitoes have been found in the province.

Dr. Ashok Chhetri, medical health officer in Yorkton, said that while the local testing pools have not found an infected mosquito yet, there is still a moderate risk in the area based on other factors, including the weather this year and the number of culex mosquitoes, which are capable of transmitting the West Nile virus, found in the area so far.

“Despite not having infected pools at the moment, we still have a moderate risk of getting bitten by a West Nile infected mosquito.”

This year’s risk is roughly the same as last year, and it’s following the same pattern, Chhetri said, with the first infected mosquitoes again being found in the Estevan area.

Seventy to eighty per cent of people infected with West Nile do not show symptoms. Only a very small per cent of people, one per cent, develop neuroinvasive West Nile, which can cause inflammation of the brain. People who are elderly, have compromised immunity, have cancer, have alcoholism or other factors that make them more susceptible to a neuroinvasive disease are more at risk.

“If you spend lots of time out doors at a high risk time, from dusk to dawn... and do not use mosquito repellent and don’t use other protective measures, if you have fever, if you have headache, a stiff neck... you may want to visit your doctor as soon as possible,” said Chhetri.

The best way to deal with West Nile is prevention, and that involves taking steps to prevent bites. That means wearing mosquito repellent, wearing long sleeved, loose fitting, light-coloured clothing if you go outside on a hot, humid day, especially during the dusk and dawn when culex mosquitoes are most active. Chhetri also recommends limiting the amount of time spent outside at these hours overall. People are also encouraged to ensure that doors and windows are sealed and screens are well maintained to ensure mosquitoes don’t enter the home. Getting rid of standard water also prevents mosquitoes from being able to reproduce.

“They need water to reproduce... We have to say, eliminate mosquito habitat around your home.”