Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is developing a multi-faceted strategy to keep insects and the potentially dangerous viruses they can carry under control. One way local health authorities are doing this is by using drones.
These drones are capable of transporting and dispersing larvicides to kill mosquitoes. The technology is supplied and operated by GDG Environnement.
Richard Trudel, the company’s scientific advisor, says larger areas require larger drones. The company’s largest drone is capable of spreading larvicide within a six-metre radius and can reach areas that would normally be difficult to access, he says.
It’s a very sophisticated and very efficient device. It’s designed to spread the product in the right place, explains Mr. Trudel.
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Killing mosquito larvae is just one component of SPO’s West Nile virus control program, which also involves trapping and testing insects to identify where the virus is present.
The presence of West Nile virus in Ottawa has been confirmed since the start of the annual surveillance season which began on June 1.
Ottawa Public Health has also received laboratory notification of the first confirmed case of West Nile virus infection in Ottawa for the 2024 season. In 2023, there were no human cases in Ottawa and 54 in Ontario.
Cover the earth and the sky
SPO also monitors mosquito populations on the ground.
Allyson Hopkin, a third-year biology student participating in a co-op program with SPO, helps treat residential areas by bike. Her bike is equipped with a pesticide dispenser and a paint sprayer attachment that leaves marks so staff can see which storm drains have been treated.
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Richard Trudel holds a trap in his hands that allows authorities to monitor mosquito populations and test them for the virus.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Jocelyn Shepel
Allison Samuel, a public health inspector with SPO and manager of the West Nile virus program, says the larvicide used is safe for pets and humans, as well as treated water bodies.
I don’t want to get too technical, but VectoLex, Methoprene and Bacillus thuringiensis variety israelensis (BTI) are products that have been approved, notably by the Ministry of the Environment, and they are known to be environmentally friendly, assures Ms. Samuel.
However, let us remember that several municipalities in Quebec, including Gatineau, have banned BTI on their territory in order to implement the precautionary principle.
The West Nile virus
What is West Nile Virus?
West Nile virus infection is primarily spread by the northern house mosquito Culex pipiensand can, in a small number of cases, cause serious illness, SPO explains.
What are the symptoms of West Nile virus?
Symptoms can range from mild to severe, according to Health Canada. Most people (70 to 80%) infected with West Nile virus do not experience any symptoms.
Some people have mild symptoms which may include:
The first symptoms usually appear 2 to 15 days after infection.
Adults aged 50 or older and people with underlying conditions or weakened immune systems are at higher risk.
Very few people (less than 1% of those infected with the virus) will develop serious symptoms and have effects on their health.
What to do in case of contamination?
There is no specific treatment or vaccine for West Nile virus infection in humans. Treatment is based on the patient’s symptoms. In general, recovery can take a week in mild cases.
What to do if you are sick?
Health Canada recommends that you see a health care provider immediately if you experience symptoms of West Nile virus after being bitten by a mosquito.
Measures to protect yourself from mosquitoes
Ottawa Public Health is reminding people that there are a number of steps they can take to protect themselves from mosquito bites, such as using insect repellent, wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts, ensuring that all windows and doors have properly installed screens, and avoiding being outdoors during the hours of dusk and dawn.
[Les résidents] can make sure there is no standing water, because mosquitoes need water to breed, even if it is a simple dog bowl, a trash can or a recycling bin… You have to monitor anything that can hold water, explains Ms. Samuel.
Ottawa resident Toufik Serhan says mosquitoes can make summer evenings outdoors a real pain. His wife agrees, showing off the many bites she’s received.
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Omaymah Saadi shows her recent mosquito bites that swarm around her house.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Jocelyn Shepel
Both are worried about their children, because when one of them was bitten, his ear became like an elephant’s, so we had to take him to the hospital where he was given antibiotics.
As part of SPO’s West Nile Virus Control Program, GDG will, upon request, apply larvicide to residents’ private sewer inlets, in addition to the usual work of treating City-owned stormwater management ponds and roadside sewer inlets.
I hope they will continue to spread it and take care of us, my neighborhood and all other places, so that these mosquitoes can leave us alone, Mr. Serhan hopes.
With information from Jocelyn Shepelof CBC News
