The medical officer of health in Windsor, Ont., is assuring residents there is “no current risk” after mosquitoes capable of transmitting the Zika virus were found in the area.
“We don’t believe there will be any Zika transmission at all based on all the information we have,” medical officer of health Dr. Gary Kirk told media at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit Thursday morning.
Last month, four Aedes albopictus mosquitoes were trapped during routine surveillance for the West Nile virus. The mosquitoes were immediately tested for the Zika virus and the results were all negative, the health unit confirmed.
Today, the health unit hosted a press conference to educate the public about Aedes albopictus.
“It’s no surprise, in some senses, that we found albopictus here,” Dr. Doug Sider, the medical director of Communicable Disease Prevention and Control, told reporters.
“Nonetheless, we found it here, which certainly indicates there is a population that was breeding locally,” he said.
The species, also known as Asian tiger mosquitoes, is capable of transmitting Zika but it is not responsible for the spread of most human cases in the Caribbean, South America and Florida, Sider said. He explained the species can only transmit the virus by feeding on an infected person and then feeding on a susceptible person.
“I can’t think of how tiny that probability is,” he said.
While the Windsor-Essex county is not facing a Zika threat, Kirk said it’s important to remain vigilant.
“Ensuring that our community stays informed about infectious diseases and the local mosquito surveillance program is a key role of public health to the residents,” Kirk, who is also CEO of the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, said in a statement.
“The discovery of the Asian tiger mosquitoes in a local trap is an important reminder to everyone that we should continue to protect ourselves and our families from mosquito bites.”
The species has been found across the United States, including Vermont, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. A single Aedes albopictus mosquito was found in the Windsor Essex county in 2012.
Health officials said they believe the Asian Tiger mosquitoes found in Windsor came across the border in shipping containers or vehicles. Officials said that the mosquitoes, which typically live in tropical climates, would be unlikely to survive winter in Windsor.
“We are uncertain if the Aedes albopictus mosquito will return next year. Whether they do or not depends largely on whether the mosquitoes are again transported into Ontario and whether we experience another extremely hot summer,” the Windsor-Essex Health Unit wrote in a statement.
Unlike most mosquitoes, Aedes albopictus are more active in the daytime and breed in standing water rather than marshes and ponds. Kirk said it is important to regularly change water in pet dishes and bird baths, for example. The health unit also recommends residents wear insect repellants containing DEET and long-sleeved clothing.
To date, there has been one documented case of a person with Zika in Windsor-Essex. The health unit said they contracted the virus while travelling.
With a report from CTV Windsor
