Everyone heading up north this year take your DEET...

Two more die from West Nile
Anne Kyle, Leader-Post
Published: Saturday, September 01, 2007

The West Nile virus is reported to have been a contributory factor in two more deaths -- a man and a woman -- in southern Saskatchewan this month.

The latest victims were from the Saskatoon and Sunrise (Yorkton) health regions. The first victim was a woman in her 80s who lived in the Sun Country Health Region in southeast Saskatchewan. All three had underlying chronic medical conditions, according to Dr. Ross Findlater, chief medical health officer for the province.

"Our West Nile numbers on the Web site have increased by 308 compared to last week. We are up to 647 (confirmed and suspected) cases this summer,'' Findlater told reporters on Friday.


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Font: ****"We are quite aware that there is still some risks in the province. We had a reminder last week because we had three people test positive who were donating blood. The blood was taken out of the system, so it is not really a safety problem at all. But it is a sign to people in Saskatchewan that although we are past the period of peak risk, there is still a risk.

"Whatever you can do to avoid being part of the next bump from this holiday weekend that is coming that is a smart thing to do.''

New figures from the health department show 57 people have tested positive for the disease -- five of whom have the most severe form of the virus, West Nile Neurological Syndrome. Findlater said the department is also aware of another 17 individuals, currently undergoing testing for the virus, who presented symptoms associated with West Nile Neurological Syndrome.

The majority of people who contract West Nile have no symptoms while about 20 per cent will develop mild flu-like symptoms. Only about one in 150 people will develop the more serious neurological symptoms that can have lasting effects and in rare instances lead to death, particularly in people whose health is already compromised.

"Certainly I wouldn't have thought at the beginning of the year that we would ever get close to what happened in 2003. But we are getting there now,'' Findlater said.

In 2003, 947 people in Saskatchewan tested positive for the virus, which contributed to the death of seven people.

Phil Curry, the province's West Nile co-ordinator, told reporters on Friday that the season for the virus-carrying mosquito started earlier this year than in previous years. Conditions were optimal for breeding four generations of the virus-carrying Culex tarsalis mosquito, thus extending the risk period for the disease.

"This is one of the highest years we've seen for the Culex tarsalis (population) in many years. It is even higher than it was in 2003,'' Curry said.

The province will be assessing its West Nile education and control program at the end of the year, Findlater added.

"But obviously if the weather is right for West Nile virus it is still going to be a big problem in Saskatchewan,'' he said.

Findlater said he anticipates the number of human cases will continue to climb as infected mosquitoes are still present in southern Saskatchewan, although the numbers are starting to decline.

"I imagine there will be people acquiring it this weekend as the mosquitoes are still out there, and while they are not quite as active, it is going to be warm weekend ...,'' Findlater said.

"There will be another bump we will find out about in another two weeks.''

© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007