Chatham-Kent public health inspectors are preparing to set up mosquito traps and keep their eyes out for West Nile cases.
Windsor-Essex inspectors have already set up their traps, but CK officials prefer to wait a little longer.
"When West Nile starts to show up in the mosquitoes, it's not until late July or early August anyway," says Public Health Inspector Mike Hatten. "So now we're just getting numbers and seeing what's out there."
The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit sets up 10 mosquito traps throughout the municipality starting in June. But Hatten advises residents to still take precautions. Get rid of any standing water, wear long light-coloured clothing, as well as mosquito repellant.
He adds mosquitoes also love the hot, humid weather we've been getting lately.
"The moisture at the beginning will breed the mosquitoes, and then if we get those long hot days for a week at a time, that's when we see the West Nile Virus get much more prevelant," says Hatten.
Hatten says the very old or the very young are most susceptible to contracting West Nile Virus. Infected patients could get headaches, fever or other unexplained flu-like symptoms.
