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The mosquito capable of carrying the Zika virus has made its way to Canada. Health officials in Windsor say there’s no current risk of transmission, after larvae from a species linked to human cases of the virus were discovered. It’s believed to be the first time the Aedes Aegypti mosquito has been found in Canada.
“It has to have gone through part of its life cycle here, but would have been in the very warmest part of the summer and that was just a huge surprise it is also frightening.” Dr.Fiona Hunter, medical entomologist.
The 3 larvae were found in Windsor while researchers were testing for west nile. The discovery comes a month after another mosquito species capable of transmitting Zika was found in Windsor. The larvae tested negative for Zika and found in a styrofoam container.
“We did collect number eggs that were laid along the waters edge of the styrofoam container and we are rearing those eggs right now.” Bryan Giordano, researcher.
Aedes Aegypti is responsible for most of the human cases of Zika in the Caribbean, South America and Florida. Its not clear how both species arrived in Ontario but researchers suspect adult mosquitos were transported in shipping containers from the U.S. Researchers say they will monitoring both Windsor and the Niagara area for the species next spring.