Two mosquito traps test positive for West Nile Virus

August 01, 2025

Two mosquito traps have tested positive this week for West Nile Virus in Waterloo Region. The traps are located in Cambridge and Kitchener.

These are the first positive traps of mosquitoes identified in Waterloo Region this year. The findings of positive mosquito traps are an indicator that West Nile Virus is present in our region and are a reminder that it is important for people to take precautions against West Nile Virus. There have been no human cases of the virus to date in Waterloo Region.

West Nile Virus has already been detected at various locations across Ontario this season and Public Health urges residents to always take precautions when venturing outdoors.

Helpful suggestions for personal protection include:

Making personal protection a priority

  • Wear light-coloured, tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, pants and a hat.
  • Minimize time spent outdoors during dusk and dawn.
  • Apply a repellent containing DEET or icaridin. Follow manufacturer’s instructions and never use a concentration higher than needed for the time you plan to spend outdoors. Eucalyptus plant compounds and soybean oil are other alternatives.
  • The use of DEET or icaridin on a child under the age of six months is not recommended.
  • Make sure that house door and window screens fit tightly and have no holes that would allow mosquitoes to enter.

Eliminating mosquito breeding grounds

Eliminate standing water on your property to reduce places where mosquitoes can breed including water in bird baths, eaves troughs, and flower pot saucers.

  • Don’t allow outdoor objects to collect water.
  • Cover rain barrels with a fine mesh screen.
  • Change water in birdbaths at least once a week.
  • Keep pool covers drained of standing water.
  • Don’t allow water to collect in roadside ditches or in low lying areas on your property.
  • Clean up brush and debris that could act as mosquito breeding areas.
  • Provide a means of aeration to ornamental ponds, fountains so that water does not stagnate.

For more information check the West Nile Virus page or call 519-575-4400.

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Media contact: TJ Flynn, Communications Coordinator, Health Communications, tflynn@regionofwaterloo.ca 519-575-4400 ext. 2244