Cyprus takes action against west Nile virus outbreak

A case of West Nile virus was found in Cyprus on Thursday (31/08) when a blood sample for blood donation screening revealed the diagnosis.

Dr. Elizabeth Konstantinidou, the Director of Medical Health Services, discussed the next steps on the ANT1 show "noon day." She mentioned plans for additional mosquito sprays and a campaign in the areas where the patient had been in the last two weeks. "We've tracked the patient's movements to determine our course of action," she explained.

Dr. Konstantinidou also emphasized that the Ministry of Health conducts an annual program to control mosquitoes by nationwide spraying. "Every year, for five months, we screen all blood samples from blood donations for the West Nile virus," she added.

According to Dr. Konstantinidou, approximately 80% of patients show no symptoms, around 19% experience mild viral infection symptoms such as headaches, muscle aches, fever, and malaise, and about 1% develop severe neurological symptoms.

This disease is transmitted through mosquito bites from infected mosquitoes that have contracted the virus from infected birds.