Originally published August 2 2005
Saskatchewan reports its first possible case of West Nile Virus
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A Regina woman is possibly infected with West Nile, which would be the first case in Canada this year.
As outdoor revellers were preparing for the upcoming holiday weekend, Saskatchewan health officials announced Tuesday they are investigating the province's first possible human case of West Nile virus this year.
Preliminary tests on a Regina woman in her 40s who was showing mild symptoms of the disease have come back positive, said Dr. Ross Findlater, the province's chief medical health officer.
Further testing will need to be done before anything can be confirmed.
"Really, it's just a signal to other people in the province that there is a little bit of West Nile virus around and if you are outside you have to think about how to protect yourself from mosquitoes," Findlater said.
Saskatchewan had five human cases of mosquito-borne virus last year, but that was down sharply from 2003, when more than 900 people tested positive and six people died.
Phil Curry, the province's West Nile virus co-ordinator, said the type of mosquito most likely to carry the virus has steadily increased in number over the past few weeks, aided by warm, wet weather.
"As we get into higher mid-summer temperatures -- late July and early August -- this is typically when we start to see human cases."
What's surprising is that no birds or mosquitoes have tested positive for the virus, Findlater said.
"Usually the order is the birds first and then the mosquito pools second," he said.
"Our experience here seems to be a little bit different every year."
Most who are infected with West Nile virus never know they've had it, and those who do feel sick usually have only mild symptoms.
But some infected people develop swelling in the brain and nervous system that can lead to paralysis or even death.
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