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Please Don't Feed the Bugs

Monday, 15 June 2015 at 08:21

Oxford County Public Health is reminding residents to protect themselves against mosquitoes that may carry West Nile virus.

OXFORD COUNTY - The bloodsuckers are back.

As the weather gets warmer, we'll start to see more and more mosquitoes. These bugs can prove to be more than just a backyard irritant as they have the ability to spread West Nile Virus. Even though we haven't had a case of a human infected with the virus in Oxford County since 2006, Health Inspector Serena Roberts says it's best to try and avoid a bite if at all possible.

"Basically you want to treat it as if it's here in Ontario to stay. We haven't had a positive pool in Oxford County since 2012 however across the province last year I believe we did have 10 cases of human West Nile virus."

There are a few steps you can take to deter the bugs. "Make sure that you're using an insect repellent that contains DEET," says Roberts. "The other thing that you can do is just to, when your outdoors around dusk and dawn, make sure that you're covering up any exposed skin. Other things include wearing light coloured clothing, and mosquitoes like things like strong perfumes, colognes, soaps and detergents. So sometimes if you're wearing a lot of that it can attract some of the mosquitoes."

Oxford County Public Health also recommends clearing any standing water from your property as it provides a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

The symptoms of West Nile are described as flu-like, usually including a fever, headache, muscle weakness, body aches, and vomiting. Serious cases can manifest in swelling of the brain, vision loss, paralysis, and sometimes even brain damage.

For more information visit OxfordCounty.ca/health

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