West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases surveillance in Canada: Annual edition 2019 (infographic)
What is the risk
- West Nile virus (WNV) is the leading cause of domestically acquired mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) in Canada
Who's at greater risk
- Advanced age and people with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease are at greater risk of WNV neurological syndrome
How to manage
- There is no specific treatment or vaccine for WNV
- Patients are treated for their symptoms
West Nile virus transmission
- Birds that are infected with WNV can spread the disease to the mosquitoes that bite them
- These mosquitoes then spread the virus to humans, animals and back to bird populations
- Only birds and mosquitoes can carry on the cycle of WNV
- Humans and animals cannot spread the virus to other humans or animals
Facts reported in 2019
- 45 positive dead wild birds
- 96 positive mosquito pools
- 8 positive horses
- 45 human cases acquired within Canada:
- 41 clinical cases
- 4 asymptomatic cases
- 8 travel-related human cases acquired outside of Canada or travel location not specified
- When compared to the average of the previous 5 years, a lower number of human cases was observed in 2019
- Recurring fluctuations in the number of WNV human infections from year to year are not unexpected
Other Mosquito-borne diseases
- 18 human infections of California serogroup viruses
- 7 horses tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis virus
Public health recommendations
Avoid becoming infected with WNV and other MBDs by:
- Protecting yourself:
- cover exposed skin
- use insect repellent with DEET or Icaridin
- Reducing surrounding risk:
- eliminate standing water
- maintain window and door screening