A man in his 80s has been identified as the first human death due to West Nile virus in Manitoba this year.
The man lived in the Assiniboine health region in the southwest corner of the province.
He had no underlying medical conditions and is believed to have contracted the more severe type of West Nile virus disease, called West Nile virus neurological syndrome.
Officials are still trying to determine where he might have contracted the disease and are not releasing further details on his identity.
There have been four reported deaths due to West Nile virus in the province. The first was in 2003.
So far this year, there have been 42 positive test results for West Nile virus in Manitoba.
In comparison to previous years, this has been the earliest in the summer season for reports of positive human test results and a death from West Nile virus in Manitoba. As well, trap counts of Culex tarsalis mosquitoes infected with West Nile in Manitoba are, on average, higher and earlier in the summer season than ever before.
The province has ordered several communities in southern Manitoba be sprayed with malathion to control the spread of mosquitoes that carry the virus.
