Released on September 8, 2010
The first human cases of West Nile Virus infection in Canada this season have been confirmed in Saskatchewan.
Two cases occurred in Sun Country Health Region (south eastern Saskatchewan). Both are mild cases and are expected to fully recover.
All cases were exposed to the virus during the first or second week of August when the risk was moderate to high in southern Saskatchewan.
The risk of acquiring the virus is currently low throughout all of Saskatchewan, with the onset of cooler and rainy weather.
In spite of very high numbers of mosquitoes in early August, including Culex tarsalis, this has been a low activity year for West Nile virus in Saskatchewan due to cool and rainy conditions. The positive human case numbers are very low compared to previous years, in particular outbreaks in 2003 and 2007 when there were 947 and 1,456 positive human cases respectively.
Updated Surveillance Results, Risk Maps and Weekly West Nile and Culex Reports are posted every Friday on the Ministry of Health's website at http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/west-nile-virus.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: tmcmurchy@health.gov.sk.ca