Europe - West Nile Fever Outbreaks 2020 - Media reports

[Gert van der Hoek]

Nine people in Saxony and Berlin infected with the West Nile Virus

sept 10, 2020

According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected in nine people in Saxony and Berlin.

Evidence was provided in seven people affected in Leipzig after they showed symptoms of an illness, as the RKI announced on Thursday. In one person each from Berlin and Mei?en, the infection was discovered when testing blood or plasma donations. According to the information, there are further suspected cases in both Leipzig and Berlin.

It was also said that among those affected, for example, a 76-year-old man developed encephalitis, two other patients - a 32-year-old woman and 85-year-old man - meningitis, both inflammatory diseases of the brain. The investigations into the beginning of the illness and the exact place of infection of the patients are still ongoing.

None of those affected reported a trip, so that infections acquired in Germany are assumed. In addition, it is expected that there will likely have been further infections in August, especially in Leipzig, but also in the other affected regions, but where there were no or no serious symptoms.

The West Nile virus is a pathogen originating in Africa. In addition to birds, infected mosquitoes can also infect mammals - especially horses - and humans. There have been such cases for several years, especially in southern Europe.

So far there is no vaccine for humans. Infection often goes without symptoms. When illnesses occur, they are often associated with flu-like symptoms such as headache, chills, or vomiting.

In 2019 there were five diagnosed human infections in eastern Germany for the first time, which were probably due to a domestic transmission - in Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony. The RKI considers infections to be permanently possible in Germany.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Flamingos died of the West Nile virus in Halle Zoo

Status: 09.09.2020

Hall (dpa / sa) - Two flamingos infected with the West Nile virus died in Halle Zoo. "The virus was detected in various bird species in the city for the first time in 2018 and 2019," announced the city of Halle on Wednesday. Two flamingos have now been infected. Other animals in the zoo are not sick. There are no restrictions for zoo visitors. The virus, which originally came from Africa, is transmitted by mosquitoes. According to the information, mainly birds, but also horses and humans, are affected by the infection. In humans, the infection is mostly normal or mild.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

The West Nile virus arrives in Catalonia: they confirm a case in an Amposta horse
sept 9, 2020

It was detected by the surveillance program carried out by DARP and IRTA, in coordination with the Department of Health

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

In Ukraine, recorded the first infected with West Nile fever

09 09 2020

In the Zenkovsky district of the Poltava region, the first case in Ukraine of West Nile fever was recorded.

According to the press service of the Center for Public Health of Ukraine, the patient's temperature rose to 39 degrees. The man also complained of muscle weakness and aching. After being examined by a doctor, he was hospitalized.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

The outbreak of the Nile virus extends to C?diz

Andalusia confirms four hospitalized positives, which are added to the 24 cases already detected in Seville. The outbreak emerged in mid-August in the Bajo Guadalquivir region

09/12/2020​

The outbreak of 'Virus del Nile' detected in mid-August in several municipalities along the Guadalquivir has made the leap to C?diz . The Ministry of Health confirmed this Saturday the existence of four positive cases , with a medical picture of meningoencephalitis, which remain admitted to the Puerto Real Hospital. One of them is being treated in the Intensive Care Unit for septic shock.

These cases are added to the 24 already confirmed in the province of Seville, where there are another seven possible infected pending tests.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Health confirms a positive case of the Nile virus in Alcal? de los Gazules

The City Council of Alcal? de los Gazules has reported that ​

a case of positive meningoencephalitis has been recorded

in Nile virus, as confirmed by the Territorial Delegation of Health.​

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Germany - Current situation West Nile virus


14.09.2020 Short messages

This year the West Nile Virus ( WNV ) appears again in the regions of Eastern Germany from which cases were reported in the two previous years. Since the beginning of July, the National Reference Laboratory for West Nile Virus Infections has confirmed the disease in 32 zoo and wild birds and 7 horses. One horse has so far died as a result of the infection.

Affected federal states are Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Thuringia. There were already WNV certificates in animals in 2018 and / or 2019 . Further cases of illness in birds and horses can be expected in the next few weeks. Horse owners should follow the vaccination recommendations of the Standing Vaccination Commission for Veterinary Medicine ( StIKo Vet ).

The Robert Koch Institute ( RKI ) also reported a number of human infections; 7 WNV records were determined for Leipzig alone , see Epidemiological Bulletin 37/2020 at www.rki.de.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Extremadura notifies its first case of Nile virus: the victim, a 52-year-old woman

Once the case is confirmed, the epidemiological surveillance protocol has been started to identify possible places where the disease may have been contracted.

23 September, 2020

Extremadura has notified this Wednesday its first case of West Nile virus (FVNO) fever, in a 52-year-old woman living in Valdetorres, of the M?rida Health Area, although her tax address and health card belong to Don Benito.

The patient began symptoms of fatigue and muscle aches that led to her admission to the Don Benito Villanueva hospital on the 12th due to a fever of 40 degrees Celsius, an episode of viral meningitis was diagnosed and after an improvement she was discharged on the 18th .

wikipedia

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Spread of the West Nile virus in Germany: first case in horses in Lower Saxony

01/10/2020 Short messages

So far this year , the National Reference Laboratory ( NRL ) for West Nile virus infections has confirmed evidence of West Nile virus in 54 zoo and wild birds and 16 horses. Another 3 horses are currently being investigated. Four horses have so far died as a result of the infection.

Most cases in birds and horses were confirmed in the already known affected regions of eastern Germany. In addition, WNV infection was also detected in sick and / or dead zoo and wild birds for the first time in the state of Thuringia . A new entry in the federal state of Lower Saxony, district of Helmstedt, was confirmed in a clinically diseased horse with neurological symptoms. Cases of disease in birds in this region are not yet known.

The virus is thus showing a tendency to spread in 2020 compared to the previous year. Further cases of illness in birds and horses are to be expected in the next few weeks. Horse owners should follow the vaccination recommendations of the Standing Vaccination Commission for Veterinary Medicine ( StIKo Vet ).

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Patient is infected with West Nile virus in Berlin

oct 13, 2020

Another case of West Nile fever has occurred in the capital. So far there is no vaccine against the tropical disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes.

Berlin - One person was infected with the West Nile Virus (WNV) in Berlin. As Charit? virologist Christian Drosten confirmed on Twitter, the person had not traveled, so did not get infected anywhere else.

Only in September there were several WNV cases in Berlin and Saxony . The Robert Koch Institute stated at the time that it considered infections in Germany to be permanently possible.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

First West Nile virus patient in the Netherlands

Publication date 10/15/2020


A male patient has been diagnosed with the West Nile virus last week. The man has not been abroad recently. He may have contracted the virus in the region of Utrecht due to a mosquito bite. In this region, birds and mosquitoes have been detected with the West Nile virus in August and September. This is the first time that an infection with this virus has been diagnosed in a person who has contracted it in the Netherlands.

The West Nile virus circulates in birds and is transmitted by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes get infected by feeding on infected birds. Afterwards, these mosquitoes spread the virus to other birds and sometimes to humans and other mammals, such as horses. People and horses can become ill from infection with this virus, but do not play a role in the further spread of the disease. The virus is not transmitted from human to human or from human to animal.

Clinical picture


Most people do not develop disease following an infection with the West Nile virus. About 80% does not display any symptoms at all; 20% develop mild symptoms such as a fever and flu-like disease. However, about 1% of the people who are infected can develop severe neurological disease, such as brain inflammation. In that case, treatment in a hospital is necessary. A small percentage of people with such a severe disease can die. An infection with the virus has previously been detected in the Netherlands, but all these infections were contracted abroad.

Spread West Nile virus


The West Nile virus has spread over large parts of the world in recent decades. The disease has been occurring for some time in southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean. In recent years, the disease has spread to Central Europe, including the central part of Germany. Further spread to Western Europe was in line with expectations.

Infected bird


In the Netherlands, in August of this year, West Nile virus was detected for the first time in a whitethroat in a nature reserve near Utrecht. The bird was examined within the framework of the One Health PACT (OH-PACT) research project. Within this project the occurrence and prediction of mosquito-borne viruses in the Netherlands are being investigated. As a result of this discovery, the Dutch microbiological laboratories and specialists were informed to be more vigilant of this infection. That the virus had been circulating in the Utrecht region was confirmed by OH-PACT research carried out on mosquitoes and the discovery of two more positive birds.

Mosquito season


With the weather change and dropping temperatures of the last few weeks, the mosquito season is coming to an end. This minimises the risk of contracting an infection with West Nile virus. Before the next mosquito season, advice and possible further actions will be proposed.

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Spain - West Nile virus in Andalusia

Until October 29, 2020, 76 cases have been reported (40 confirmed and 36 probable): 71 cases are from Andalusia (57 correspond to the province of Seville and 14 to that of C?diz) and 5 cases from Extremadura (Badajoz).
And unfortunately, there have been 7 deaths: 4 in Seville (3 men and 1 woman between 70 and 85 years old) and 3 in C?diz (2 men and 1 woman between 59 and 87 years old).

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Netherlands - Five more cases of West Nile virus confirmed in Utrecht region

November 9, 2020


Another five cases of West Nile virus have been diagnosed in the Utrecht region, according to figures for the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The disease, which is thought to have been transmitted from to birds to humans via mosquitos in the region, was first recorded in October.

Previous West Nile virus infections in the Netherlands had always been in people who had contracted the infection abroad. The vast majority of people who contract the virus experience no symptoms or a mild flu-like illness, but in elderly and vulnerable patients it can cause inflammation of the brain.

There is no evidence the virus can be transmitted between humans. The West Nile virus has been present in southern Europe for several years, including Spain, where five people died during an outbreak over the summer, but also eastern Germany.

It was first found in the Netherlands in August in a common whitethroat. Blood bank organisation Sanquin is testing all batches of donated blood in the Utrecht area for the virus in an attempt to prevent it being transmitted via transfusions.