July 21, 2005
Five birds have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in Manitoba in 2005. As of July 19, 168 birds have been submitted for testing for West Nile virus.
No additional positive mosquito samples were identified today. At this time, 13 positive mosquito samples have been identified in seven areas in southern Manitoba. It is anticipated that WNV will continue to be detected in mosquito samples from additional communities in the coming weeks. Testing of mosquitoes for WNV is ongoing at Cadham Provincial Laboratory.
At this time, there have been no human cases of West Nile virus identified in Manitoba in 2005.
Last week, Culex tarsalis counts rose throughout southern Manitoba with very high numbers identified in the Winnipeg, Central, and South Eastman regional health authorities. Preliminary information from traps this week indicates that the numbers of Culex tarsalis mosquitoes in most areas of province have increased.
Larviciding continues in southern Manitoba. Four communities have health orders in place for adult mosquito control.
The risk of human exposure to WNV in Manitoba is rising and will continue to increase over the mid-summer period.
The importance of taking personal protective precautions against mosquitoes and reducing standing water around homes continues to increase in both urban and rural areas. Manitobans can reduce the risk of mosquito bites by:
· reducing the amount of time spent outdoors during peak mosquito hours between dusk and dawn,
· using appropriate mosquito repellent, and
· wearing light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing.
Public information about West Nile virus is available by calling Health Links-Info Santé at 788‑8200 in Winnipeg or toll-free at 1-888-315-9257. Additional information is available on the Manitoba Health website at http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/wnv, which is updated weekly with surveillance data.
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