An 80-year-old male with probable West Nile has been hospitalized and a 32-year-old female with probable West Nile is recovering at home. These are the first cases of probable human cases of West Nile in Toronto for 2012.
Shapiro said that when a mild winter is followed by a hot summer it is thought that mosquitoes can survive better making the virus a bigger issue in years like 2012. Use insect repellant and screen your home's openings to reduce your exposure to the bite of a mosquito.
On July 3 Toronto Public Health received a lab report that mosquitoes collected on June 26 tested positive for the virus.
Last year there were 76 positive mosquito batches in the city with 28 human cases. In Ontario there were a total of 71 human cases.
People can get West Nile virus from the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes get the virus when feeding on birds who carry the virus.
Most people have no symptoms or flu-like symptoms. In rare cases the virus is severe with hospitalization and death taking place. Those with severe illness can experience the rapid onset of severe headache, high fever, stiff neck, nausea, difficulty swallowing, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion, loss of consciousness, lack of coordination, muscle weakness and paralysis.
Symptoms of the virus appear 10 to 15 days after being bitten.