A Windsor man who spent nine months in hospital and is still recovering from a rare case of West Nile Virus has a cautionary tale to tell.
Patrick R., who wanted his last name to be kept private, told CK News Today he contracted the mosquito-borne illness in September 2024 while working in his backyard in Windsor, quickly became very ill, and experienced vision problems, such as haziness and double vision.
He noted his backyard doesn't have standing water, and getting seriously ill was a surprise.
Patrick, who is currently 60 years old, said he is still improving. However, it may take several more years to fully recover after falling in and out of a coma and undergoing multiple months of extensive physiotherapy and treatment to regain movement, stand up, and walk again.
"I'm still showing some signs of improvement. I haven't stopped improving. So, it's not like they're saying you're not going to get back [to normal]. I think the reality is we don't know what 100 per cent will look like eventually or when 100 per cent is going to happen," Patrick said.
He didn't notice a mosquito bite at first and never thought he would end up dealing with such a personal health crisis.
Patrick hopes his life-threatening health ordeal serves as a lesson to others to be vigilant about mosquito bites.
Patrick credits the support of family, friends, hospital staff, and physiotherapists for getting him through the paralysis.
He added that giving up isn't an option, adding he's not going to let a mosquito take away the life he's built.
"As dark as it seems at times, you just try to stay focused on what you have to be grateful for. In my case, I was remarkably blessed with some of the most amazing people you could ever hope to have in your life, as far as friends and family. I didn't walk through this. I was carried through it with all their support," he noted.
Patrick also noted that he remains vigilant when he hears a buzzing mosquito, but doesn't let it control his life because the chances of getting West Nile Virus again are slim.
"To say I don't think about it would be a lie. You can what-if yourself to death, right? You have to find an objective balance. Are there days when my legs are really tired, and I worry about falling? Yeah. I worry about that more than I worry about another mosquito bite giving me West Nile a second time," he added.
According to multiple public health data sources, 80 per cent of people infected with West Nile Virus show no symptoms, about 20 per cent experience mild, flu-like illness, and less than one per cent develop severe, potentially fatal neuroinvasive disease, such as meningitis or encephalitis.
The data also showed that severe West Nile Virus cases increased last year, particularly affecting older individuals and those with weakened immune systems.
