The Junta Health Board has declared Salobreña an area on alert over the presence of mosquitoes carrying the West-Nile Virus, although nobody has been infected so far.
It had been found that some mosquitoes found in specialised traps carried the virus. With this confirmation, the Town Hall in conjunction with the Junta have set about spraying to control their presence.
There have been cases of contagion, however, in Andalucia: in La Puebla del Río (Sevilla) where two women were found to have become infected with the virus.
This state of alert in Salobreña will be in place for a minimum of four weeks, or until an equivalent period passes without any cases being declared or virus circulation in vector mosquitoes, birds, or horses/mules/donkeys in this territory.
Mayor Javier Ortega held a meeting with representatives of the company that handles pest control in the municipality to discuss fumigation in sensitive areas where the presence of mosquitoes could be detected, as well as the number of traps, which will be increased.
Mayor Ortega said, “Since no human cases have been recorded and only a few specimens of this vector have appeared in one of the traps, it shows that the prevention and control measures being carried out against this virus are working.”
When he mentions ‘sensitive areas,’ he means places where there is stagnant water and places where animals are kept.
Most cases (80% of those infected) present no symptoms, which makes it difficult to identify, although in some people it can cause a mild fever, tireness, general feeling unwell, and muscle pain.
In less than 1% of patients, it can cause death if the infection affects the central nervous system. Always, the most vulnerable group consists of elderly or immunosuppressed people, so if there is a worsening of their general condition or worrying symptoms, they should go to a health centre.
(News: Salobrena, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)
Keywords: West-Nile Virus, Mosquito Traps Junta Health Board, Immunosuppressed, Elderly, Symptoms, Alert
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