Where does West Nile Virus come from?
West Nile is the name of a region in Central Africa where the virus was first identified over 60 years ago. The virus was later detected in several other parts of the world, specifically in the Middle East, Asia and Europe. In 1999, it was detected for the first time in North America, in New York City. Since then, the virus has spread. It has been in Québec since 2002. Since 2006, a decrease in the number of cases of West Nile Virus transmission in Québec has been observed. Although it remains present, WNV remains a rare disease. In 2006, a single human carrier was reported, while last year two Québec residents were infected outside Québec. Nevertheless, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux will continue its anti-WNV measures in 2008 and advises Quebecers to be prudent and apply personal protection measures.
