Talking West Nile Virus

garym — Mon, 05 May 2003 00:29:00 -0400

On the eve of tourist season out here in the mosquito-laden woods, the South Bruce Chamber of Commerce has started a discussion forum for visitors and tourism operators to open up about the fears and facts surrounding the West Nile Virus.

And it's not terribly encouraging: The Chamber relays the Health Canada warnings to simply "Limit your exposure" by locking yourself indoors behind sealed windows and no-hole screens, and advises 10% (!) DEET for youngsters and up to 30% for others particularly at risk.

All that doesn't bode particularly well for an area where we pride ourselves on rustic cabins and sunset beaches! As someone who lives here, with children so sealing the hatches is simply not an option, I decided to ask google for some seasoned responses and got them in spades, starting with the Center for Disease Control West Nile FAQ where you can get some sane advice like the following:

Q. If I live in an area where birds or mosquitoes with West Nile virus have been reported and a mosquito bites me, am I likely to get sick?

A. No. Even in areas where the virus is circulating, very few mosquitoes are infected with the virus. Even if the mosquito is infected, less than 1% of people who get bitten and become infected will get severely ill.

Which is very good to know: The chances you will become severely ill from any one mosquito bite are extremely small ...

South Bruce Peninsular - Talking West Nile Virus - Comments

Talking West Nile Virus