The spread of the West Nile virus in Europe is in full swing, as Cyprus becomes the next country to confirm its first case of the deadly tropical virus.
Authorities confirmed on Tuesday, October 8, that an elderly man from Mammari village had been infected and was in a critical condition.
Sanitation services official, Irodotos Irodotou, told Sigma orders were issued immediately to spray the area so as to identify any potential mosquito breeding sites.
Irodotou said they had not found a large number of stagnant water sites and sought to reassure the public that the virus does not transmit from person to person, but from mosquito to human.
In August, nine people in one Spanish holiday hotspot, Seville, were struck by the virus, with authorities sending out an emergency health alert. Spanish media has reported that 2,000 people protested in Seville town on Monday demanding controls to stop the spread of the virus.
Protesters were pictured holding signs that read: “No more death! No more fear!” and “Solutions! Platform against the West Nile Virus”.
Approximately 80 percent of those bitten remain asymptomatic, but individuals over 50 with health issues are at higher risk. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms include fever, headaches, vomiting and myalgia – a form of muscle pain. There are no vaccines to prevent or medicines to treat the disease in people.
Cases occur during the mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through the autumn. People become infected with the virus when mosquitoes feed on infected birds and then bite people.
Earlier this year, researchers revealed that the virus could become more prevalent in Europe as temperatures rise and climate change increases. A 2023 study, published in the journal Nature Communications, concluded: “Our results show up to a five-fold increase in West Nile virus (WNV) risk for 2040-60 in Europe, depending on geographical region and climate scenario, compared to 2000-20.
“The proportion of disease-reported European land areas could increase from 15 percent to 23 to 30 percent, putting 161 to 244 million people at risk.”
It was first identified in Uganda in 1937, but since then has also been detected across Africa as well as North America, Europe, the Middle East and West Asia.
The NHS advises seeking medical advice if you notice symptoms while travelling or upon returning home. It is not contagious.