A SEVILLA area man has become the second person to die during the current outbreak of the West Nile virus(WNV) in Andalucia.
The 89-year-old victim lived in Guadalema de los Quintero, Utrera.
He had various underlying conditions and was admitted on Monday to Sevilla’s Virgen del Rocio University Hospital with meningoencephalitis as a result of WNV.
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On August 5, a man, 82, from Dos Hermanas in Sevilla died from WNV and he had also previously been seriously ill.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Andalucia Health Ministry said that 54 WNV cases had been confirmed in the region.
37 were minor and 17 serious, including the two fatalities.
Four people remain hospitalised with the prognosis described as positive for the rest.
Lab tests for WNV infections have been carried out in 566 people and 122 cases of viral meningitis have been screen.
The Health Ministry has issued an alert for municipalities where cases have been confirmed or where WNV is circulating in mosquitoes and birds.
27 municipalities are on alert including Pulpà (Almeria); Algodonales and Jerez de la Frontera (Cadiz); Hinojos (Huelva); Lopera (Jaen); Cartama and the district of Campanillas (Malaga).
The remaining alerts are in Sevilla province including in Guadalema de los Quintero.
Authorities in those areas are strengthening entomological, animal and human surveillance.
That’s in addition to promoting community action and information campaigns via pharmacies and health staff.
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