A person in the Huron-Perth area has contracted West Nile Virus.
Huron Perth Public Health confirmed the year's first locally-acquired human case of the virus on Tuesday.
Symptoms of West Nile Virus usually develop between two to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms can include fever, headache, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and rash on the chest, stomach or back. While not everyone infected will show symptoms, roughly one in 150 people infected will become seriously ill with high fever, muscle weakness, vision loss, and coma. In extreme cases, West Nile can also lead to death. Those over the age of 50 or who have weakened immune systems are most at risk for West Nile infections.
“While the overall risk to the public remains low, this is a timely reminder that West Nile Virus activity typically increases in late summer and early fall,” said HUron Perth Public Health Physician Consultant Dr. Lauren Hayward. “We encourage residents to take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito bites. If you are spending time outdoors at dawn and dusk, when mosquitos are most active, use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants.”
Additionally, residents are advised to remove standing water around their homes at least once a week to reduce mosquito breeding grounds.
In a continued effort to curb the spread of West Nile,Huron Perth Public Health applied larvicide to roadside catch basins in Stratford, St. Marys, Listowel, and Mitchell over the summer. It has also been trapping and testing mosquitoes in locations across Huron and Perth since June 16. To-date, two positive mosquito pools were found during the surveillance in August.
Provincially, there have been 61 confirmed human cases of West Nile Virus reported in 2025.
