West Nile Virus-positive Birds Confirmed in Antigonish and Digby
HEALTH--West Nile Virus-positive Birds Confirmed in Antigonish and Digby
Health officials confirmed today, Oct. 30, that four more birds have tested positive for West Nile virus in Nova Scotia. Three of the birds were found in one location in Antigonish, Antigonish Co., and the fourth bird was found in Barton, Digby Co.
"The incubation period for West Nile virus in birds can be up to two weeks, so we may continue to see some positive dead birds," said Dr. Jeff Scott, chief medical officer of health for the province.
"Normally with a cluster of birds like those found in Antigonish, we would follow up by trapping mosquitoes for testing," said Jeff Ogden, field entomologist with the Department of Natural Resources. "However, we are late in the season now and because of the colder temperatures we don't expect to be able to collect enough mosquitoes for testing."
Dr. Scott said that there is no connection between the birds and the case of travel-related West Nile virus confirmed in an Antigonish County woman earlier this month. "This doesn't change the status of this travel-related case. The woman began showing symptoms in late August when there was no West Nile virus activity in the area, and she had just returned from Saskatchewan where a number of people had been infected with the virus."
He also said the human health risk associated with West Nile virus is very low, particularly given colder temperatures in the province. "Most people infected with the virus will have no symptoms. Others may have mild symptoms, and only a very small number of people will develop more severe symptoms."
The province has been tracking the virus in birds, mosquitoes and people since May 2003. More than 895 birds have been tested for the virus so far this season and 16 have tested positive.
Information on West Nile virus is available on the Department of Health Web site at www.gov.ns.ca/health or at Health Canada's Web site at www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/westnile/index.html .