Toronto public health officials are reporting the first human case of West Nile virus in the city in 2026.
The virus can lead to potentially serious illness and is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito.
Officials did not say where the person who contracted the virus was bitten.
Last year, the city reported 26 human cases of West Nile. In 2024, there were 14 confirmed cases.
Symptoms of West Nile usually develop between two and 14 days after someone is bitten by an infected mosquito. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, body aches, skin rash, swollen lymph glands and stiff neck.
Toronto Public Health said while the risk of becoming infected with West Nile is low, there are some precautions you can take to protect yourself.
Those include:
- Wearing light-coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants when outdoors.
- Applying a Health Canada-approved insect repellent and following the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Taking extra care during peak mosquito-biting time (dusk and dawn) by using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing.
- Removing standing water from one’s property where mosquitoes can breed.
- Ensuring screens are tight-fitting on windows and doors.
The city conducts regular mosquito surveillance from mid-June until mid-September every year. That process includes crews setting 22 traps across the city once a week for West Nile virus monitoring.
In 2023, there were 83 positive pools, the second highest amount recorded since the program started in 2002.
Last week, York Region recorded its first batches of West Nile-positive mosquitoes.
