Health officials are on the lookout for the West Nile Virus. In our region they're already working to confirm the first probable human case of the virus in the province this year. They’re also keeping a close eye on dozens of mosquito hot spots.

Austin Moore cuts grass in the summer. He does about ten properties a day but says he never puts on insect repellant.

“I don't use any bug spray. I just smack them whenever they are around.”

But killing mosquitoes might not be enough.  The health unit confirmed it has registered it’s first probable human case of the virus this season. The person in question is from the Whata Mohawk territory in Muskoka.

The Simcoe Muskoka district health unit is asking people to protect themselves from bites because the virus is commonly spread through mosquitoes.

Since 2002 the area has had ten confirmed human cases. Last year alone there were three cases in all.

“Peak season is in August perhaps even into the beginning of September,” says Dr. Charles Gardner

Health officials say crews are out testing and trapping as much as they can to keep the mosquito population in check in high risk areas.

“Barrie and Bradford are communities in which they're actually putting an agent in their catch basins, in the storm sewers to prevent the emergence of mosquitoes,” continues Dr. Gardner. “It's killing the larva and mosquitoes in order to reduce the risk of transmission in those communities.”

This summer students have been hired by the health unit to run the West Nile program. They are checking traps and pools of water across the region.

The West Nile Virus first appeared in Ontario in 2001. About 80 percent of the people who get it do not show any symptoms. People who do can experience fever, headache, body ache, nausea and rashes. The symptoms usually show up 2 to 15 days after being bitten by an infected mosquito.

If you want to avoid getting bitten, there's a couple things you can do. Wearing bug spray and light coloured clothing can help. Also try to stay inside at dusk, and remove any kind of standing water like bird baths or wading pools from the yard.