Dilip Kuner
SPANISH health officials have confirmed the presence of the potentially deadly West Nile Virus in mosquitoes caught just metres from people’s homes in the Malaga neighbourhood of Tarajal.
The discovery, made by entomology experts analysing insects from a local trap, has forced authorities to declare the area officially ‘on alert’.
Similar warnings have been issued for the village of Tahivilla in Tarifa (Cádiz) and the town of La Luisiana in Sevilla.
The announcement came from Andalucia’s Health and Consumer Department after lab results revealed that mosquitoes in the area were carrying the virus. Following an urgent risk assessment that looked at how close the infected insects were to populated zones, the regional government has now imposed a four-week alert.
Unless new cases appear or more infected mosquitoes are found, the alert is set to stay in place until at least 5 November.
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This alert status isn’t just a label – it means health teams are ramping up monitoring of both the local mosquito population and animals that could be affected, including birds and horses, as well as watching closely for any human symptoms.
Schools, care homes, and residents in the affected areas will be given guidance on how to protect themselves from mosquito bites, while pharmacies and nurses will help spread the word to the wider public.
In Antequera, also in Malaga province, a horse has already tested positive for West Nile Fever – a worrying sign that the virus is actively circulating. Although the infected animal was kept more than a kilometre from any houses, the area has still been classed as high-risk, showing how seriously health authorities are taking this.
West Nile Virus, which is spread by mosquito bites, can cause everything from mild flu-like symptoms to life-threatening neurological conditions.
While most people recover without issue, the virus can be fatal – especially for vulnerable individuals and animals.
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