| It's just a matter of weeks before the warm weather returns across Canada. But it may also bring an unwelcome and dangerous visitor - mosquitoes. They will likely carry the risk of West Nile virus to more parts of Canada. Last summer a very small outbreak in Ontario turned into an unnecessary and deadly epidemic. And it all starts with just one mosquito bite. It's a moment that changed Ludwig Mayer's life forever. The next day he was sick. He suffered with fever, headaches and confusion. The diagnosis was encephalitis. The virus left him in a coma for five weeks, and in intensive care for four-and-a-half months. This was caused by the West Nile virus, transmitted from that mosquito bite. As of 2 October, 2002, the total number of West Nile virus cases reached 2'530 with 125 deaths in 32 states. There is currently no vaccine against West Nile virus encephalitis.
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