A reminder to the travelling public - West Nile Virus

Dr. Faith Stratton, provincial medical officer of health for Newfoundland and Labrador, wishes to remind anyone travelling to the United States or mainland Canada to take precautionary measures to protect against mosquito bites, in light of the confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in other parts of North America.

"To date, there have been no reported cases of West Nile Virus in the province. Our province is at a very low risk for this disease as surveillance to date indicates we do not have the kinds of mosquitos that carry this virus. It is still important to protect ourselves when travelling outside the province," said Dr. Stratton. "There is no need for alarm, as the numbers of cases of West Nile Virus is very low in Canada, but it is important to reduce the risk as much as possible by taking a few simple precautions."

Dr. Stratton recommends that anyone travelling outside the province should do the following to protect against being bitten by mosquitos:

• limit time outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active;
• wear light-coloured long-sleeved shirts, long pants and a hat when outdoors;
• use insect repellant which contains the active ingredient DEET; and
• make sure that door and window screens fit tightly and have no holes.

Any travellers returning from areas where human cases of West Nile Virus have been identified should see their physician if they notice any symptoms of the disease. Most people who become infected have no symptoms at all and do not get sick, however when symptoms do occur, they generally appear within two to 15 days after being bitten by a mosquito. People with mild cases usually experience only flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache and body aches which get better without any treatment. Some people may also develop a rash or swollen lymph glands. In rare instances of a severe case of the illness, the brain and nervous system may also be infected and symptoms may include the onset of a severe headache with high fever, muscle weakness, drowsiness, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Anyone who experiences these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention.

The province continues to conduct surveillance for the West Nile Virus and according to Dr. Hugh Whitney, provincial veterinarian, no crows have been found with the disease this summer since testing started in June. "We are pleased so far that crows examined for the West Nile Virus have not tested positive. However, with the confirmed presence of the virus in the Maritimes we will continue monitoring efforts in this province," he said.

Dr. Whitney indicated that the continued support of the general public in the reporting of dead birds including crows, ravens, blue jays and grey jays is an important component of the surveillance program. "Anyone finding a dead bird should report it to a conservation officer with the Department of Forest Resources and Agrifoods at a nearby forestry and wildlife office in order that the birds can be properly collected and sent to our laboratory for testing," said Dr. Whitney.

Media contact:

Diane Keough, Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377
Craig Renouf, Forest Resources and Agrifoods, (709) 637-2923

2003 08 22                                      2:00 p.m.