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West Nile Virus |
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West Nile Virus: Reducing Your Risk of West Nile Virus
Spring 2008
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What can be done to reduce my chance of getting West Nile virus (WNV)?
Everyone is encouraged to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. This includes things like wearing insect repellent (personal precautions) and getting rid of places where mosquitoes can breed on your property: See the chart below.
Personal precautions
- If possible, avoid areas with mosquitoes or leave an area that has mosquitoes
Protect Yourself Outdoors When Mosquitoes are Present
- Be sure to take precautions when out at night, especially during dusk and dawn when mosquitoes tend to be most active.
- Wear light-coloured clothing, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes and socks outdoors whenever possible.
- Make sure clothing is breathable and allows moisture to evaporate.
- Wear insect repellents
Safe Insect Repellents Use
- Follow product instructions.
- Apply only to clothing and exposed skin.
- Never use over cuts, wounds, sunburned or irritated skin.
- Wash repellent off daily.
- Some products are not recommended for children under three, check the instructions.
- Repellents containing DEET work best.
- Repellents containing 10% DEET or less are good for most uses. Higher concentrations of DEET last longer but are no more effective.
- Only use Health Canada approved repellents. This applies to DEET and alternatives to DEET such as soyabean oil, or p-menthane-3, 8-diol.
Reducing mosquitoes in and around your house
Protect Yourself Indoors
- Use fine-mesh screens on windows and doors.
- Make sure screens fit tightly and do not have holes.
Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites
- Do not allow water to collect in toys, garbage cans, plant containers, etc.
- Clean roof gutters, downspouts and eavestroughs regularly.
- Clean birdbaths at least once a week.
- Turn over plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows when not in use.
- Eliminate discarded tires. If you must keep them, remove any standing water from the tires and store them covered or stand them on end and fill the inside with sand.
- Bubble ornamental garden ponds using an oxygenator.
- Change and empty water from outdoor dishes for animals daily.
The City has a WNV prevention program that includes monitoring for WNV in birds, mosquitoes and people, community outreach and mosquito reduction.
For more information, visit toronto.ca/health or call
416-338-7600.
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