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by Oavmd Lea SPECIAL TO THE CHAMPION Halton Region Health Deparlment officiais are caiiing on residents to0 proîecî them- selves from mosquito bites after a dead bine jay found in Oakville îesîed positive for West Nule virus (WýNv). The blue jay, which was dis- covered Monday in the area of Comwail and Charweli Roads, is the first WNv positive bird found in Haiton this year. ut iikeiy won't be the Iast, îhougb. A dead crow that was Iocaîed Tuesday in the Fourîh Lune and Rebecca Street area is also expecîed t0 test positive for the virus. The presence of the virus in Haiton is noîhing new with WNv consistently beung found in the region since 2001, said Or. Monur Taha, associate med- icai offucer of heaiîh for Hatton Region. "ils become a predictabie annuai îbing. Typicaiiy around the begurming of August we gel our first physicai detection of WVNv< he said. "We find ut first un birds and then usually not 100 long there- after the mosquîîoes that we've been testing since the beginning of the summer wii start t0 turn positive for WJNv t00. Ail Ibis L indicates that the amount of WNv Ihats out there in birds and theretore the chances lor people to gel sick witb WýNv increases 100." Taha noted tbat the record weî summer bas been a mixed btessing for WvNv. Whiie the excessive ramn bas provided mosquitoes with pienty of places to breed, Taha saîd the iack of heat waves bas siowed down the virus's growth some- what. Because the virus is 50 weather dependent, Taba said ut's difficuit 10, say wheîber this wili be a good or had year for WNv. Either way, the Region is îak- ing precautions and residents are advised t0 do tbe sanie. "We're cônliuing our con- trot program, which is mainty 10 prevent mosquiîoes from emerging as aduit mosquiîoes. We bave iarvicide programs for sîorm waîer catch basins, sîorm waîer management ponds and oîher surface waters where mos- quito larva are detected," said Taha. "So, we're continuing that, but people have their own rote 10 play" Taba noîed that peopte can protect îhemseives from infect- ed mosquiîoes by covering uup with white coioured, long- sleeved shirts and pants with tigbly woven fabric. Using an approved insect ing DEET is aiso recommended as is timîuing your lime outdoors duning dawn and dusk when mosquitnes are most active and iikely to bite. The number of mosquitoes in an area can aiso be reduced by empting out water-fiiled con- tainers where mosquitoes like t0 breed. The water in a birdbath, for example, shouid be changed at ieast once a week 10 prevent mosquitoes from making use of ut. Wbiie preventing exposure 10, mosquiioes is important, get- ting bitten by one, even if it's infected with WvNv, isn't neces- sarity the end of the worid. "Most people actualty do very weIl if they gel WNv. Tbey may not even notice that they've caught it at ail. Some peopie jusî have a mîtd iiiness with a bit of fcver and then they're perfectly b.uck t0 normal," said Taha. So far this year, the Ministry of Heaith and Long-Term Care is reportinfg one 'probable/con- firmed7 buman case of WNlv in Ontario. Anyone who would like to report a dead bird or standing water or for more information about WNv can cali the Halton Region at (905) 825-6000, toli free I-866-4HALTON (1-866- 442-5866), TTY (905) 827- 9833 or email wnv@baiton.ca. West Nule found in blue jay IiEl - =Î . . a .. VOR 2alrr rHANCE mutallya 000 GSCÉ!$ 0kmOTOA IVA 1 M5 AP 'I M $1 ,9 -Ï15r9e al$ SOk1059air $125 Grp isylm CD murutch1m Oahoair uroa 5opad arMC $99995 $115 1$85r95 $8 Ait,,u ,8dCe0o $1995 14 $995 9 $10999 $125kn 1$799 $175ete u 1 rim Ra vm rgi NW Of û9ffý PMW of LLSA Pmtd Of »ffi P«Ud Of ÛM Lam &NO) 1W Tomato Ab Ab