Winnipeg and Brandon expanding mosquito surveillance

A mosquito is seen in this undated file photo.

WINNIPEG -

The cities of Winnipeg and Brandon are expanding their mosquito surveillance and identification services.

Acting Health Minister Kelvin Goertzen made the announcement in a news release on Monday, saying the goal is to mitigate the effects of West Nile virus.

“A key component to keeping Manitobans safe from West Nile virus is mosquito surveillance, which allows the risk to be assessed on a weekly basis during each season and ultimately guides the public health response,” he said.

“Deepening our partnership with the cities of Winnipeg and Brandon will provide much-needed data to inform our response and minimize the number of WNV human cases which can have long-term health impacts.”

According to Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman, the city will expand the scope of its surveillance to include rural municipalities within an hour and half drive of Winnipeg. He noted this will be on a cost-recovery basis.

“We are pleased to be able to more fully utilize city expertise to assist with West Nile Virus surveillance and contribute to minimizing health impacts for residents across the province,” Bowman said in the news release.

Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest said the city has been using a mosquito abatement program for decades.

“We're pleased to be partnering with the province to ensure a concerted effort is made to reduce the possibility of mosquito populations and WNV,” he said.

The cities will report surveillance and identification data to the province on a weekly basis to determine what steps need to be taken to protect the public’s health. The contracts are in place for the 2021 season.

According to the Manitoba government, mosquito surveillance involves trapping adult mosquitoes at different locations across the province. Manitoba then uses the surveillance data to determine seasonal trends and West Nile virus infection rates. This allows the province to determine if there’s enough of an exposure risk to require mosquito control, as well as targeted communications to the public.

WHAT IS WEST NILE VIRUS?

West Nile virus is a mosquito-borne illness that can cause encephalitis, which is the swelling of the brain. It can also result in long-term complications and death.

Some people who get West Nile virus don’t show any symptoms, while others experience symptoms such as headaches, fever, fatigue and body aches.

The risk of West Nile virus varies each year based on precipitation, temperature and mosquito populations.

Goertzen added that that Manitobans can protect the health-care system by protecting themselves against West Nile virus.

Between 2012 and 2018, there were 112 cases of West Nile virus in Manitoba. The province noted that nearly 40 per cent of these cases were hospitalized and 11 per cent required intensive care.