- OTTAWA (Reuters) - The potentially
deadly West Nile virus is likely to spread to most areas of Canada this
year despite a new campaign to curb its impact, medical experts conceded
on Wednesday.
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- The first human cases in Canada were spotted in Ontario
last year and 12 deaths have been associated with the disease across the
country, with most coming in the heavily populated central province of
Ontario. The mosquito-borne virus was blamed for more than 200 deaths in
the United States last year.
-
- "We have to be prepared for the spread of the virus
across the country to all provinces, up to the west coast," Dr Harvey
Artsob told a news conference to launch a series of measures designed to
combat the virus.
-
- These include advising Canadians to limit the time they
spend outside, to wear protective clothing, to ensure anti-mosquito screens
on house windows fit properly and to use recommended insect repellents.
-
- The officials said monitoring for the disease would be
stepped up and also expressed hope that a blood test able to detect West
Nile would be in place by July this year.
-
- "West Nile virus is an emerging disease and there
are many questions that still need to be answered," said Artsob.
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- The virus often causes only headaches or a mild flu-like
illness. But the elderly, the chronically ill and those with weak immune
systems can develop encephalitis, which can be fatal.
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