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he Waterloo Region I community _ health department, along with Ontario‘s public health units and the Ministry of Health, are participating in the _ West _ Nile Virus Surveillance program. Local health department tracking West Nile virus To date, no cases of the West Nile virus have been reported in Ontario. The West Nile virus is transmitted when a mosquiâ€" to becomes infected by bitâ€" ing a bird that carries the virus. The virus is not known to spread from personâ€"toâ€"perâ€" son or from birdâ€"toâ€"bird. The virus is spread after a mosquito feeds on an infectâ€" ed bird and then bites a perâ€" son. Most people infected with the West Nile virus will have no symptoms or will experience only mild fluâ€"like century ;‘.A; hood a ~ ho Tllale. CGGMC symptoms. Less commonly it may cause severe illness that may be marked by headache, fever, neck stiffâ€" ness, muscle weakness, and/or disorientation. Young children and adults over the age of 50 are most commonly affected. siE®RA REOULAR CAB REGAL JmAUY Â¥ pontiac The community may assist in the West Nile Virus Surveillance program by calling the â€" community health department at 519â€" 883â€"2008 if they find dead birds. The community health department will pick up the sIERRA EXTENOED CAR GRAND PRIX LeSABRE sonoma SAFART â€" Brian Hatton director of environmental services, Waterloo Region community health department Personal measures to avoid _ mosquito _ bites include * applying mosquito repel lants to exposed skin spar ingly An effective repellant contains 20â€"30 per cent DEET Products with more than 30 per cent DEET may cause side effects, particu larly in childten. Avoid applying repellants to the hands and face. Avoid repelâ€" lants for childreny younger than threeyear:so?d: * wean’nsb longâ€"sleeved shirts and ‘Yon, gms out doors when m&qujloes are most active, from‘ dusk to dawn * clear _ leaves _ from eavesthroughs, storm drains or roof gutters; * immediately throw away lawn clippings and leaves:; * make sure that door and window screens fit tightly and do not have holes; * use landscaping to elimiâ€" nate standing water that colâ€" lects on your property: * fix dripping outdoor water faucets; * drill drainage holes in tires used for playground equipâ€" ment To reduce the mosquito population â€" around your home you may do the following: * cover rain barrels; * remove or drain any stand â€" ing water in bird baths, tires, flower pots, etc.; * turn over wading pools when not in use; * drain water from pool covers; birds for submission to the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife _ Health _ Centre Laboratory in Guelph. "There are measures that the public can take to reduce or eliminate mosquiâ€" to breeding places around their homes and properâ€" ties," said Brian Hatton, director of. gnvironmental services for the Waterloo Region community health department, in a press release. "People should also take personal measures to avoid mosquito bites." Birds of particular interâ€" est are crows, ravens, jays, pigeons, doves, American robins, English sparrows and colony nesting water birds. Birds for submission must not have obvious signs of trauma. They must be intact and fresh with no obvious signs of rotting or scavenging. "There are measures that the public can take to reduce or eliminate mosquito breeding places around their homes and properties."