No West Nile Testing For Northern Health This Year
By 250 News
Thursday, August 27, 2009 01:44 PM
Prince George, B.C. - Now that B.C. has its first confirmed case of West Nile virus that was contracted in B.C., Northern Health says it is reviewing it’s West Nile testing procedure.
“We won’t be issuing a call for people to submit any dead corvids, nor will we be testing mosquitoes this year” says Eryn Collins a spokesperson for Northern Health. However, Collins says they are reviewing that process for next year.
“When there were no cases of West Nile in B.C., we shifted away from detection to a prevention and protection message, we will continue to do that next year.”
The Northern Health region is at very low risk of developing mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus because of the type of habitat they prefer for breeding, but Collins says the region could become attractive for this type of mosquito if climate change presents the type of heat they like.
Two adults from Kelowna had developed West Nile Virus symptoms after holidays in the South Okanagan. One has since been confirmed to have West Nile Virus, while the definitive tests on the other have not yet been completed. Tests on mosquito pools in the South Okanagan confirm there are mosquitoes there carrying the disease.
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