Health Alerts

A year after West Nile virus was first detected in a small number of birds and horses, Germany has reported its first human WNV case (contracted via a native mosquito species) after a man from Saxony, who was being treated for encephalitis, tested positive to the virus. This may prove a forewarning for residents to be aware of the potential risk of WNV over the warmer months in years to come. Elsewhere in the region in the last reporting week: WNV cases were recorded in Greece, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and North Macedonia. Other WNV posts were from the US CDC and Bangladesh, where the first appearance of another mosquito-borne infection would be most unwelcome in light of the current dengue fever outbreak. The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research is carrying out investigations into a single case of West Nile virus fever identified in a man living near the capital, Dhaka. Read more.