Saskatchewan has recorded its first case of West Nile virus,

The Ministry of Health says a man in a rural area, south of Regina, has been identified as a carrier of the virus.

He gave blood at a clinic in late July.

The man was exhibiting no symptoms of the illness, but his test still came back positive.

The province’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, says 80% of the time, people who get bitten by a mosquito carrying the illness don’t show any symptoms.

Shahab says the risk of getting West Nile Virus is a bit higher this year, compared to the past two years, so people should take precautions to avoid getting bitten.