West Nile Virus

"While, its important to remember that the risks of being bitten by an infected mosquito are low and the chances of becoming seriously ill are even lower, anyone who is exposed to mosquitoes in an area that has West Nile Virus has the potential to become infected."

Suggestions to protect yourself:

• Use insect repellents containing DEET when outdoors.
• Avoid the outdoors at dawn and dusk when they are most active.
• Protect yourself by wearing clothing to cover your arms and legs and wear a hat.
• Wear light coloured clothes as mosquitoes are attracted to dark clothing.
• Ensure door and window screens are effective in keeping mosquitoes outdoors.

Reduce mosquito breeding areas:

Mosquitoes require standing water to lay eggs that develop in a four day period.  Even a small amount of standing water can provide breeding areas.

• Empty standing water from things such as pool covers, saucers under gardening pots, buckets, recycling bins and garbage cans.
• Clear your property of unused items that could collect water (such as old tires).
• Change water twice a week in items such as bird baths, pet bowls, wading pools and livestock watering tanks.
• Use screens to cover rain barrels.
• Clean eave troughs regularly to avoid standing water.
• Consider stocking ornamental ponds with fish that eat mosquito larvae.
• Do not overwater lawn or wash cars in driveway - the water goes in the catch basins on your street which is breeding habitat.

Saanich's Response to West Nile Virus

Since 2003, Saanich has been preparing for the potential arrival of west Nile Virus by surveyinh and mapping the breeding grounds of mosquito species that can carry the virus.  A West Nile Virus Plan will be complete in 2007.