Via The Globe and Mail, a report by The Canadian Press: West Nile case count jumps another 36 per cent in Ontario; worst year since 2002. Excerpt:
New West Nile virus counts for Ontario show the province has already had the worst year for the illness since 2002.
The weekly report from Public Health Ontario says the province’s case count jumped another 36 per cent last week, to 158 confirmed and probable cases as of Sept. 8.
Ontario has seen a higher case count just once in 2002 – during which time 394 human cases were reported – the first year the virus was reported in Canada.
About 1/3 of this year’s Ontario cases have occurred in Toronto.
Four other provinces have reported West Nile cases this year — Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec; with five, two, 29 and 20 cases, respectively.
But so far this year, there have been no reported deaths.
