The Perth District Health Unit says it’s confirmed the first known case of West Nile virus in mosquitoes in Perth County since 2013.
According to the health unit, the mosquitoes that tested positive for the virus were trapped in the southern part of Mitchell.
Health officials say 2016 has seen a relatively low level of West Nile virus activity across Ontario up to this point.
No human cases of the virus have been reported anywhere in the province this year.
West Nile can spread from mosquitoes to people through bites, but cannot be transferred from one person to another.
The health unit recommends that as a precaution, people protect themselves against mosquito bites by using insect repellent, keeping as little skin as possible exposed, and removing pools of standing water on their property.
