Dylan Wagemans
THE Ministry of Health has already started surveillance of mosquitoes in Andalucia to look for insects that carry the West Nile virus.
The inspections are starting one month earlier than last year, and even two months earlier than in 2023.
Rain and heat favour the proliferation of the mosquitoes, that’s why the junta fears that there might be increased numbers of specimens that carry the virus.
The controls consist of placing traps and looking for the virus by checking their cells.
“The environmental conditions of Andalucia mean that mosquitoes of the culex-genus can survive almost all year round, although the probability of circulation of the virus is greater from June to October,” said the Health Administration.
There are nine municipalities in the province of Malaga that are in the high-risk category for transmission of the virus: Alhaurin de la Torre, Alhaurin el Grande, Almargen, Antequera, Cartama, Coin, Guaro, Malaga capital and Pizarra.
There are 66 municipalities at medium-level risk and 28 at low-level risk.
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The first case in humans was detected in November 2024, in Guaro.
This year, the number of traps installed has been increased from 27 to 120 in the region of Andalucia.
The virus is transmitted between birds through the bite of infected mosquitoes, this being its natural cycle.
About 80% of WNV infections in humans are asymptomatic, with West Nile fever being the most common clinical presentation.
The elderly and immune-vulnerable people are at higher risk of developing the neuroinvasive disease.
