Five people have died this year from the deadly West Nile virus in Spain. Concerns are growing over the rise of West Nile virus after it killed two more people in Seville, Spain, raising the country's total to five deaths this year. Travellers and locals alike have been advised to wear insect repellant, cover up, and avoid breeding grounds like stagnant water - particularly between dusk and dawn.
This year in Europe, cases also have been reported in Austria, Croatia, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Serbia. These were confirmed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) as having been acquired locally rather than on trips to tropical regions. It comes after outbreaks in Europe put travellers on red alert in spring.
(WNV) can cause a fatal neurological disease in humans. It belongs to the Japanese encephalitis group of viruses, along with others like and yellow fever. Birds are the natural hosts of WNV, but it is typically spread by mosquitoes and, in a small number of cases, through blood transfusion, organ donations or pregnancy.
In around four out of five patients, WNV presents no symptoms, but in the other 20 per cent, it develops into West Nile fever. Symptoms include sudden high fever, headache, neck stiffness and a rash on the neck, arms, or legs - and in more severe cases, seizures, muscle weakness and paralysis, according to . People over the age of 50 - especially if they have underlying health conditions - are more likely to get seri.