A Peel resident has contracted West Nile virus for the first time in 2019, and Peel Public Health is reminding residents to continue to protect themselves from infected mosquitoes.

Fifteen mosquito batches tested positive for West Nile virus in the region in 2019 as of Sept. 8: Eight in Brampton and seven in Mississauga.

“While the risk of getting West Nile virus in Peel remains low, this case reinforces the need for all residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites when outdoors,” said Dr. Lawrence Loh, chief medical officer of Health at the Region of Peel, in a news release.

Peel collects adult mosquitoes from 33 fixed locations throughout the region from June until late September.

In 2018, 69 batches tested positive for the virus, and three human cases were confirmed.

West Nile virus is a potentially serious illness transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito.

According to Peel Public Health, most people who contract West Nile will show no symptoms, but 20 per cent will experience mild-flu like symptoms, and one in 150 will develop a more severe form of the disease.

Residents can protect themselves from mosquito bites by applying bug spray, avoiding busy or wooded areas during dusk and dawn, and by draining stagnant water on their property.

In Toronto, the city’s public health agency reports that there has been one reported case of West Nile this year as of Sept. 18.

“Toronto has had considerably less cases in 2019 compared (to) 2018 and 2017,” said public health spokesperson Veronica Cruz. “In 2018, there were 39 human cases of WNV, and in 2017, there were 28 confirmed human cases of WNV.”

According to the Government of Canada’s website, the first ever reported human case of West Nile virus was in 2002, when there were 414 occurrences Canada wide.

Numbers continue to fluctuate greatly from year to year.

There were 1,481 cases in 2003 and just 25 cases the next year.

In 2017, there were 202 cases. This swelled to 427 cases the next year.

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West Nile virus infections typically occur in the summer months due to the weather and the amount of rain, with the most cases occurring in August and September, Ottawa Public Health reports.

Surveillance detects only some of the West Nile virus cases in Canada.

With files from David Venn and Osobe Waberi