By Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator
September 17, 2025
A Brant resident has tested positive for West Nile virus, according to Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH).
The case marks the first in the area since 2020.
People are unlikely to become seriously ill from it, but August and September are “peak months” for West Nile mosquito activity, Filip Pajtondziev, the infectious diseases manager for GEPH, said in a media release.
While most people with the virus are asymptomatic, it can cause serious illness in some people, like seniors and people with underlying illnesses, according to the Brant County Health Unit website.
Mild symptoms clear up within about a week and include a fever, swollen glands, a headache, body aches and a mild rash.
Less than one per cent of people get a serious infection which can last for months or years. It includes symptoms like a high fever, sudden and severe headache, a stiff neck, drowsiness and confusion.
If you have symptoms after a mosquito bite, see a doctor.
“We encourage everyone to take steps to avoid mosquito bites,” Pajtondziev said, such as:
- Use an insect repellent like one with DEET.
- Cover up with light-coloured shirts and pants.
- Avoid being outdoors from early evening to morning, and avoid shady, wooded areas.
- Change bird bath water at least weekly, and don’t leave water-filled containers and objects around where mosquitoes can breed.
In Brantford, five mosquito pools tested positive for the virus — four of which were in the same location, the release said.
Haldimand-Norfolk had its last positive case in 2024. Hamilton moved its West Nile risk level from “moderate” to “high” after someone tested positive for it in August.
Visit bchu.org/westnile or call Grand Erie Public Health at 519-753-4937 ext. 454 for more information.
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Celeste Percy-Beauregard’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories about Brant County. Reach her at cpercybeauregard@torstar.ca.
