TORONTO -- Public health officials say a Toronto resident has tested positive for West Nile virus -- the city's first confirmed human case of the year.

Toronto Public Health says it is trying to figure out where the virus was contracted, saying the patient had "potential exposures" both in and out of the city.

The agency says the risk of catching West Nile virus is low but it's still important to take precautions.

Those include wearing light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants, socks and a hat when outdoors, using mosquito repellent and installing tight-fitting screens on windows and doors.

Public health officials say symptoms -- such as fever, headache, nausea, vomiting and body aches -- usually develop two to 15 days after a person is bitten by an infected mosquito.

Three human cases were reported in Toronto last year, down from 12 in 2013.