Risk of West Nile virus high in Hamilton after first human case reported

Hamilton's medical officer of health has upgraded the risk of West Nile virus from moderate to high after the first local human case was confirmed this season, the city said in a release.

The city is urging Hamiltonians to remove standing water from private property to avoid mosquito breeding and protect themselves against bites.

Dr. Bart Harvey, associate medical officer of health, recommended employing simple preventive measures like using insect repellent containing DEET or icaridin and covering up to reduce the risk of mosquito bites while you enjoy the outdoors."

It is important to take precautions to avoid illnesses spread by insects including West Nile virus, Lyme disease, and Eastern equine encephalitis," he said in a release. The risk of these infections will drop once there is a heavy frost that reduces the number of mosquitoes."

The city said four out of five with West Nile virus will not have any symptoms. However, older people and those with weaker immunity may experience West Nile fever, or develop more severe illness including inflammation of the brain.

The symptoms occur between two and 14 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

The city said it is continually assessing the risk for human illness as part of its comprehensive West Nile virus surveillance and prevention program, and is completing its third round of larviciding treatments on city street catch basins.

Ritika Dubey is a reporter at The Spectator. rdubey@thespec.com