First district crows test positive for West Nile

The Northwestern Health Unit reported Monday that three crows found dead in Rainy River District have tested positive for West Nile virus.
Two were sent in from Atikokan while the third was from Devlin, environmental health officer Al Mathers said.
This makes for a total of six this summer in the health unit’s catchment area, which also includes Kenora District.
One crow from Kenora was found to be West Nile-positive about two weeks ago while a second crow in Kenora and one from Dryden also tested positive just last week.
“This means we’re suspending the bird collection in Atikokan, Devlin, Kenora, and Dryden,” Mathers said. “But in other places, like Fort Frances, we’ll keep on going.”
He explained the point of the bird collection program is to determine where the virus has manifested in any of the communities in the health unit’s catchment area.
Once that’s been verified, there’s no point in sending in more dead birds from those areas for testing.
Since May 25, the health unit has been accepting dead crows and ravens that look like they may have succumbed to the virus and sending them away to the University of Guelph for testing.
Updates on further positive test results will be provided when, and if, they occur.
Meanwhile, Mathers said the health unit’s mosquito surveillance program, which first started in early July, will continue until Sept. 12.
To date, no West Nile-positive mosquitoes have been identified.
As well, no human cases of West Nile virus have ever been identified here.
West Nile virus is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito, which, in turn, became infected by biting an infected bird.
The virus is not spread by person-to-person contact, nor can it be acquired directly from an infected bird, noted Mathers, adding the chances of contracting the virus are slim.
But he still recommended people take precautions—wear long-sleeved garments, avoid exposure during the peak hours of mosquito activity, remove sources of standing water, and use repellents containing DEET.
“Though the risk is low, until the first real frost, people should still use the bug dope,” said Mathers.
Symptoms of West Nile virus encephalitis (the rare, serious form of the disease) include severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting, as well as altered levels of consciousness and mental states.
But in fact, most people who become infected experience no symptoms or have a very mild illness, with fever, headache, muscle weakness, or body aches, Mathers noted.
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)