| Comments | In June/July of 1941, a Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) outbreak was recorded in Saskatchewan (cases = 543), Manitoba (509), and Alberta (42); this was part of a larger epidemic across North Dakota (1,101) and Minnesota (639). The majority of the cases were located in rural regions of the southern part of the provinces. Many of the urban residents who were infected with WEE likely contracted it during their visits to rural and recreational areas during summer holidays. The epidemic effectively began in June in Saskatchewan with Manitoba and Alberta's beginning in July. The epidemic peaked in mid- to late August. No cases were reported after September 10th, October 14th and November 15th in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, respectively. Of the 509 cases in Manitoba, 543 cases in Saskatchewan, and 42 in Alberta, 78, 44, and 8 individuals, respectively, did not survive. This epidemic was further complicated by a polio outbreak that was also occurring in Manitoba; 32 cases originally diagnosed as polio were changed to encephalitis and 10 cases reported as encephalitis were changed to polio. |