WINNIPEG — Tests on a 70-year-old Manitoba woman who recently died found she had contracted West Nile Virus (WNV).
On Thursday, the provincial health department said the woman, who was a resident of the Southern Health region, had unspecified pre-existing health conditions.
It’s believed she was exposed to the virus in that region in mid-August, the province said.
This is the first West Nile-related death since September 2013. It’s the ninth death since the province began collecting this data in 2003.
RELATED: 4 positive cases of West Nile found in Manitoba this season
Earlier this summer the province reported the first human case if West Nile in 2016.
“With shorter days and cooler temperatures, mosquitoes are more likely to bite late in the afternoon and early in the evening,” the province said in a media release.
“There will continue to be a risk of exposure to WNV until the weather becomes colder or until the first hard frost.”
Manitobans are encouraged to continue using personal protection measures, particularly on warm autumn days, to reduce the risk of mosquito bites by:
- Reduce the amount of time spent outdoors during peak mosquito hours.
- Use appropriate mosquito repellent.
- Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing.
- Maintain door and window screens so they fit tightly and are free of holes.
More information about the virus in Manitoba can be found here.
Comments