Hot, dry conditions this summer create increased risk of West Nile Virus, province says

The province is warning Manitobans that extremely hot temperatures and dry conditions this summer have created ideal conditions for West Nile Virus.

The drought the province is experiencing has caused some smaller rivers and creeks to stop flowing, creating ideal spots for Culex tarsalis, mosquitoes that carry the West Nile virus, to lay their eggs.

As a result, the City of Winnipeg will sprayfor mosquito larvae along theSeine River, Omands Creek and Sturgeon Creek later this week, says a news release from the province.

No cases of human West Nile Virus have been reported thus far, and the risk of getting it is still low, the province says.

However, that risk is expected to increase as the summer continues, and Manitobans should protect themselves.

There were 112 cases of West Nile Virus from 2012 to2018, the province says. Nearly 40 per cent of the people who got it were hospitalized, and 11 required intensive care, the news release says.