Algoma Public Health is warning residents to take precautions against West Nile virus.
The health unit says wild birds in Sault Ste. Marie and East Algoma tested positive for the virus, indicating its "presence...in Algoma and the potential risk to its residents during peak mosquito season".
While it says the risk of being infected in Algoma is "low", Algoma Public Health reminds West Nile is spread to humans through the bite of an infected mosquito, so it encourages precautions to protect against mosquito bites: wear light-coloured, tightly woven but loose-fitting clothing with long-sleeved shirts, long pants, socks, and shoes when outdoors; apply an approved mosquito repellent; avoid the outdoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active; remove standing water from your property, as that's where mosquitoes can breed; and repair or replace screens on windows and doors to avoid mosquitoes entering your home.
Last year, two wild birds tested positive for West Nile in North Algoma, though APH's last human case was reported in 2024.