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2 more cases of West Nile confirmed BY L. H. TIFFANY HSIEH
thsieh@yrmg.com
Two more confirmed human cases of West Nile virus have been reported in York Region. This brings the total number to three as of last Friday. Two men, 45 and 75, in Vaughan and one man, 76, in Newmarket are recovering at home, York associate medical officer of health Dr. Lilian Yuan said Monday. The region no longer discloses specific locations of probable or confirmed cases. “It’s all over York Region,” Dr. Yuan said. In August, a 54-year-old Markham woman was reported as the region’s first probable human case. She is recovering at home in Thornhill and her case has not been confirmed as West Nile virus. Hers is one of six probable human cases in Vaughan, Newmarket and Markham, pending lab testing. Due to an increase in mosquitoes this year caused by hot and humid temperatures that create better breeding conditions, labs are extremely busy and testing time can vary from case to case, Dr. Yuan said. The total number of mosquito pools testing positive for West Nile virus in the region has doubled to more than 40 in the last month. It’s the highest rate experienced since 2006. “We know the risk is widespread,” Dr. Yuan said. “The pools just confirm that.” Previously, York had two confirmed human cases of West Nile virus, one in 2011 in Vaughan, the other in 2008 in Markham. To prevent mosquito bites residents should continue using insect repellent, covering up and limiting outdoor activities during dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.
STAFF PHOTO/SJOERD WITTEVEEN
Richmond Green Secondary School student leader Ali Taghva whips up the crowd during a student protest at lunchtime yesterday. Wearing team jerseys and school T-shirts, students pleaded for their teachers to return to coaching and leading after-school activities, and for teacher unions and the government to negotiate an end to their disagreements.
Angry students want to kill Bill 115 BY KIM ZARZOUR
kzarzour@yrmg.com
Students filed out of the classroom yesterday carrying balloons, basketballs, banners and band instruments — yet another group of teenagers calling on grown-ups to get their act together. The Richmond Hill students chanting outside Richmond Green Secondary say they just want arguing teachers and politicians to leave them out of their battles so that school life can get back to normal. Similar messages were being blasted out
On the web: Check out yorkregion.com for more on the protests
at public schools in Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario Wednesday as frustration and confusion grows over the prolonged labour dispute. Richmond Green was the third high school in York Region to stage a walk-out in the past week.
Wearing green jerseys and face paint, the boisterous group sang, danced and chanted “We want EC” and “We need sports”. Student president Taylor Goodfield said extracurricular activities, sports teams, semi-formal, prom and tutoring help have been cancelled at their school. Activities run by teacher volunteers have also been cancelled at Stephen Lewis in Vaughan, Westmount in Thornhill, Bayview in Richmond Hill, Woodbridge High and Maple High, she said. See ‘CHAOS’, page 17.
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