I like elderberry wine, there's something rustic and cottage-country about it that just goes really well with those long summer nights by the fading barbeque. Turns out, it may go well with avian flu too ...

The team, from research institute Retroscreen Virology, found that the elderberry-based product was at least 99 per cent effective at reducing the virus in the cells.
But experts warned that many more studies were needed to find out whether the formula was effective in combating H5N1 in humans.
[ via Elderberries could combat bird flu ]

You heard 'em folks: More research on humans is needed, so it's our bound duty to humanity to investigate this further! So come summertime, c'mon, let's pop the corks on a stack of bottles and go taunt the mosquitoes ...

Someone spotted a sick crow tonight over on Bunnyview Drive in Sauble Beach, and they thoughtfully called us wondering what to do about it. I hope everyone understands that we're not the town, we're only ordinary concerned residents and parents just like you, but we're still glad they called us.

The first thing to know is that while birds have been submitted for testing from BC to Resolute Bay to St. John's to Point Pelee, only a very few small regions have tested positive for West Nile Virus. You can find the current map at the West Nile Alert Page -- the huge yellow area is where birds have been submitted, the tiny pink specks are where they've tested positive, and, as of June 22, the closest confirmed report is in the Collingwood-Barrie area.

The second thing to know is the Health Services number -- please report all sick or dead crows and ravens (Ontario is only accepting reports about these birds). The telephone number will be in the Blue Pages of the telephone book, or Health Units can easily be looked up on the Ontario Public Health Unit Web Site.

Grey-Bruce Health Unit:

Yes, this information should be on the front page of the town website

Very interesting interview on CBC's OntarioToday with Dr Hassan, York Region's acting Officer of Health, talking about the recent announcement by Queens Park to roll out larvacide programs, and also about the realities in the West Nile Virus situation.

Some of the facts Dr Hassan relays about the West-Nile are extremely encouraging, especially for regions like South Bruce Peninsula. The first most important fact is the Culex woodland-species of mosquito, the one you are likely to meet in the Great Outdoors, is not the culprit!

The Woodland Species is not the culprit!

This is very important. The mosquitoes involved in this transmission are the urban species, the so-called "Catch Basin" species most found in unkept bird feeders, old tires and other hidden pools of only a few litres of stagnant water. One species feeds on birds almost exclusively, the other feeds on both birds and humans; one spreads the disease from bird to bird, the other bridges the virus to humans.

Even among those two urban species, we run into the numbers game counting down the exposures needed by the insects to the birds and the low rates of infection and lower still rates of complications in humans.

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 ...