Clarington Mosquitoes Test Positive for West Nile Virus, Durham Health Department Confirms

Adult mosquitoes collected in Clarington have tested positive for West Nile virus, according to the Durham Region Health Department. This marks the first batch of mosquitoes in Durham Region to test positive for the virus during the current season.

The weekly mosquito trapping and laboratory testing, which are conducted by the Health Department across the region from June to September, led to the detection. The positive batch was collected at one of the Health Department’s trap sites in Clarington.

The Health Department states that West Nile virus is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito. Mosquitoes carry the virus after feeding on birds that are already infected. The Health Department reports that the disease is not passed from person to person, nor directly from birds to people.

According to the Health Department, most people who contract West Nile virus will experience mild illness, with symptoms such as fever, headache, body ache, nausea, vomiting, or rash on the chest, stomach, or back. The Health Department also notes that more serious symptoms, including muscle weakness, stiff neck, confusion, tremors, numbness, or sudden sensitivity to light, can occur. Symptoms usually develop between two and 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito, as reported by the Health Department.

The Health Department states that the risk of infection with West Nile virus remains low in Durham Region. Measures to minimize mosquito populations are in place, including treating regional catch basins and stagnant water sites with larvicide to help reduce breeding.