PREPARED BY:
Environmental Health
DATE:
November 20, 2023
SUBJECT:
Seasonal Program Summary Report 2023
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
The Environmental Health Department delivers various seasonal programs that are mandated under the Ontario Public Health Standards. These programs include monitoring beach water quality and heat events, as well as surveillance of West Nile Virus (WNV), Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Zika Virus, and Lyme disease activity in Windsor and Essex County (WEC). This report provides a summary of these 2023 seasonal programs.
DISCUSSION
Beach Monitoring: The 2023 beach monitoring season ran for a total of 13 weeks, with weekly water sampling conducted from June 12, 2023 to September 5, 2023. There were 20 water quality warnings issued (201-999 E. coli/100ml), and 3 beach closures (≥1000 E. coli/100ml). This season had significantly less water quality issues when compared with 2022, which had 41 warnings and 13 closures. The permanent closure of Mettawas Beach partially accounts for this difference.
| Name of Beach | Warnings | Closures |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Beach | 1 | 0 |
| Cedar Island Beach | 1 | 0 |
| Colchester Beach | 2 | 0 |
| Holiday Beach | 3 | 0 |
| Lakeshore Lakeview Park W. Beach | 3 | 1 |
| Point Pelee North West Beach | 2 | 0 |
| Sandpoint Beach | 6 | 2 |
| Seacliff Beach | 2 | 0 |
| TOTAL | 20 | 3 |
Harmonized Heat Warning Information System: Starting in May of each year, the WECHU monitors the Environment Canada and Climate Change’s forecast for heat events and issues heat warnings or extended heat warnings in accordance with the Ontario Harmonized Heat Warning and Information System (HHWIS). In 2023, there were no heat warnings (two consecutive days are forecasted to have a daytime high temperature greater than or equal to 31°C and a nighttime temperature greater than or equal to 21°C or a humidex greater than 42°C ) and three extended heat warnings (three or more than three consecutive days are forecasted to have a daytime high temperature greater than or equal to 31°C and a nighttime temperature greater than or equal to 21°C or a humidex greater than 42°C) issued. This summer had significantly less number of days under heat warning (11 days) as compared to 22 days in 2022.
Mosquito Surveillance program: The Mosquito Surveillance Program ran for a total of 21 weeks from May 23 to Oct.13, 2023. Once a week, 41 mosquito traps (26 CDC light traps and 15 BGS 2 traps) were set up across WEC to collect mosquitoes for identification and viral testing.
Number of Mosquitoes caught – 73,028
Number of pools tested -1159
Number of WNV positive pools - 11
Number of WNV human cases - 1
Number of Aedes albopictus caught -84
There were no positive pools or human cases for EEE or Zika identified this year.
Active Tick Surveillance: Active surveillance is used to assess the local distribution and incidence of black-legged ticks in WEC. It involves the dragging of a white cloth through grassy areas whereby ticks attach themselves to the fabric and can be easily spotted and identified. Any black-legged ticks identified are sent to an accredited laboratory for testing for Lyme disease. Tick dragging is performed twice yearly in the spring and the fall.
In 2023, tick dragging was conducted at 4 sites across WEC (Ojibway Prairie Nature Reserve, Ruscome Shores Conservation Area, Cipher Systems Green Way – Essex and Hilman Marsh Conservation Area) In May and October. 41 blacklegged ticks were found through tick dragging and have been sent to lab for testing. As of September 30th, 2023, there were six human cases of Lyme disease reported in WEC.