Toronto’s public health agency is reporting the first probable human case of West Nile virus in the city this year and urging residents to take precautions over the long weekend.
West Nile virus is an infection transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Symptoms typically appear between two and 14 days after being bitten and can include fever, headache, nausea and swollen lymph glands.
Toronto Public Health says the first probable human case involves an adult resident.
It says that although the risk of getting infected is currently low, residents should take precautions that include applying insect repellent, wearing light-coloured clothing with long sleeves and taking extra care during the peak mosquito-biting times of dawn and dusk.
The health unit says with the increased hot weather recently there is a higher risk of mosquitos that can transmit the virus once infected.
It says that last year, there were 14 confirmed human cases of the virus.
