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The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday A ugust 20, 2003 - A 3 Oakville dead crow tests positive for West Nile By Jason Misner S P E C IA L T O T H E BEA V ER f West Nile virus activity is heating up in Halton now that a third dead crow found in the region within the last month has been found to have the virus. A dead crow bagged in Oakville on Aug. 11, south of the QEW between Trafalgar Road and Maplegrove Drive, has test ed positive for West Nile. The Region's Health Department released the result on Monday. The Oakville finding means the mosquito-borne virus has shown up in three of Halton's four municipalities. Milton is the only Halton municipality that has not con firmed a West Nile presence, but public health officials expect that's likely to change. Halton Medical Officer of Health Dr. Bob Nosal said the presence o f the dead crow means staff will be increasing surveillance and monitoring in the area where the dead crow was found. Crows are a good indicator of the presence and intensity of the virus and is a reason why health officials are still urging residents to call 905-825-6187 to report dead crows. The health depart ment is looking to confirm the presence o f West Nile in a dead crow in all four municipalities in Halton. "There is obviously an indi cation of West Nile activity in Halton and I'm emphasizing all the public education messages," Dr. Nosal said. They include: · Avoid areas with high mos quito populations. · Wear light-coloured cloth ing, including long sleeves, pants and a hat, to cover exposed skin when outdoors in the evening or early morning. · Use a mosquito repellent containing DEET. Consult the Web site at www.region.halton.on.ca/health for more information. Dr. Nosal said there are a couple of encouraging pieces of news about West Nile this sum mer. First, the number o f dead crows this year has flattened compared to the same period last year. Second, there have been no reported human cases of West Nile among the northeastern United States where a majority of cases have been reported in the last couple o f years. Dr. Nosal said. Halton - last year's North American hotspot for West Nile - had 60 human cases. One per son from Oakville died. Most experienced severe ill ness, like headaches, muscle aches, fatigue, and difficulty walking, the kinds of symptoms associated with contracting West Nile. So far no human cases have been reported in Halton this year. The Region, in response to the threat of West Nile, instituted an aggressive West Nile battle plan that includes larviciding thousands of catch basins and dozens o f standing pools of water, increased surveillance and monitoring of the virus in birds, mosquitoes and humans and public education. "We are family" at Queens Avenue B y A n d re a L e p o tv S p e c ia l F e a tu re s M ite r After living alone in her own home for 14 years, Evelyn Curtis felt like it was the right time for a change. After raising a family with her husband and working for an airline until die age of 62, it was after her husband passed away, that she found it difficult to care for her home the way she used to. While having lunch with friends, Evelyn asked to see where they lived. After a tour of Queens Avenue, she decided it was the perfect place for her. It's been a year since then and the 89-year-old couldn't be happier. "I have friends in here, from 60 vears ago. It really feels like a family," she says. "Right now, I walk and am thinking of joining the exercise classes offered weekday mornings." Although it takes a while to get used to, Evelyn says the change was made much easier by the staff at Queens Avenue. "I like all die staff - the residence is well run and clean, with lovely apartments. The staff goes out of their way to make things pleasant," she says. "I'm very happy here." Evelyn especially likes the fact that die staff celebrates everybody's birthday by month, with cake and ice cream. And during Christmas, residents and dieir families are invited to a holiday party, where they can enjoy cocktails and live music. , The residents are treated td special presentations from local area schools, library volunteers who bring in talking books, and, says Evelyn, most recendy a local group of belly dancers came in to entertain the residents and staff. She also enjoys the free bus service offered to residents that takes them to the mall I on Tuesday and to the grocery store on Thursday. [One of the greatest things about Queens Avenue, according to Evelyn, is that she is still able to enjoy her freedom in her own apartment. With her own bedroom, living and dining room, and kitchen area Evelyn can I make her own breakfast and lunch, and dien go down for dinner in the dining room. "I felt like I had been alone for so long while living on my own, but now I can enjoy my independence, and \isit with friends in the dining room," she says. "1 feel at home here.' Queens Avenue Retirement Residence has eight floors and all the amenities of home for an independent and personal lifestyle. Spacious studio suites and one bedroom and two bedroom apartments are available, ranging in sizes from 370 to 775 square feet. .M l are equipped with full kitchens, a .sitting area, full bathrooms with walk-in seated showers, and 24-hour medic alert monitoring. The facility is secure with automatic keyless building door entries and all entries are locked and monitored by closed circuit television. Enhanced Care packages are available for individual care requirements, at an extra cost For more information regarding occupancy, visit them at 1056 Queens Avenue, or call 905-815-0862. Councillors surprised by West Nile death (Continued from page A1) wasn't confirmed literally until several months after the fact." He said there were eight sus pect human cases of West Nile in 2002 in Halton and it took a long time for test results from a lab in Winnipeg to come back. Dr. Nosal said there has been no intent to withhold informa tion. "We didn't want to mix the messages this year, but we are stating (the death) in public pre sentations and we want to be forthcoming," he said. "I firmly believe everybody realizes the issue of getting results and clear ly that was not satisfactory and this year's results will be avail able quicker." Some Regional councillors were dismayed to learn through the media about the death and that they learned of it nearly three months after health officials knew about it. Milton Regional Councillor Rick Malboeuf, vice-chair of the Region's Health and Social Services Committee, said, "1 think it would have been prudent to make it public (earlier). We know West Nile exists and we know there's a risk. I'll ask exact ly what the thinking behind not making it public (immediately) and they may have a good reason, but I would like to hear it." Halton Regional Chair Joyce Savoline said the death was news to her, but said, "the doctor (Bob Nosal) has to work under the Health Protections Act and my impression is he is doing his duty, but we will find out." "I didn't know that," said a surprised Oakville Regional Councillor Allan Elgar when informed of Halton's first con firmed West Nile-linked death. "Unless I missed it, I don't remember hearing it." Elgar said it's imperative the public knows right away that a person has died from West Nile because it will drive home the urgency of protecting yourself from the virus. The death means there were actually 60 human cases of West Nile in Halton last year, not 59. The number o f people who reportedly died from the virus last year also increases by one to 21, confirmed the Ontario's chief medical health officer Dr. Colin D'Cunha. He said in an interview yes terday the death wasn't surpris ing since the case was being monitored by the province. Dr. D'Cunha said he called the lab in Winnipeg "to finish up the backlog." That's a main rea son why province opened a new lab this year to deal with West Nile test requests, he said. The Queens Avenue Retirement Residence 1056 Queens Avenue, Oakville (905) 815-0862 Halton Sea r c h .c Y jt i . ..ju st'O s- clL cb-cu vm /! 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