According to the INSP, News.ro reports that 21 cases of West Nile virus infection have been registered in Romania since the start of the season until Thursday. At the same time, four deaths were reported.

“From the beginning of the surveillance period for West Nile virus infection (June 6, 2023) to August 24, 2023, 21 confirmed cases of West Nile virus infection were registered,” says the document published on the NNIGM website.

Cases were registered in the age groups 40-49 years (1), 50-59 years (5), 60-69 years (4), 70-79 years (7) and ≥ 80 years (4).

Among the infected are 14 men and seven women. There are also 14 infected people from urban areas and seven from rural areas.

Depending on the territorial unit of exposure, cases of West Nile virus infection had the following distribution: the city of Bucharest (5) and the counties: Dolj (2), Galati (3), Ilfov (3), Iasi (2), Olt (2), Prahova (1) ), Sibiu (1), Satu Mare (1) and Tulcea (1). A case of West Nile virus infection had a double exposure in both the city of Bucharest and the district of Tulcea (starting at S 31).

Deaths were registered in the following districts: Satu Mare (1), Ilfov (1), Dolj (1 probable case) and Prahova (1).

INSP recommendations for the public

To avoid infection, people are advised to:

• avoid contact with mosquitoes by wearing long-sleeved clothes and long pants,
• use chemical mosquito repellents,
• prevents mosquitoes from entering the house (through protective nets on the windows),
• ensure drainage of puddles around the house,
• remove containers with stagnant water and household waste from the house.

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