We are afraid of the mosquitoes that transmit the virus of the Western Nile, and we do not know that birds are a serious danger: The number of sick and deceased people is increasing, and the worst is yet to come

Nine people have died from the virus of the Western Nile in Serbia until now, and 102 cases of illness have been registered, according to the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr. Milan Jovanovic Batut". People who died were located in the South Backa area (three cases), Belgrade (five), and one from the South Banat area.

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The cases of illness were so far recorded in Belgrade (44), South Backa area (22), South Banat (18), West Banat (6), Middle Banat (4) and two in Srem, Podunavlje, North Banat and Branicevo area each. Western Nile virus infection was officially registered for the first time in Serbia at the end of July 2012, and from then until 2017, 574 cases have been reported and 61 people have died.

The fever of the Western Nile is a viral disease that is transmitted through a sting of an infected mosquito. The main transporter is "Culex pipiens", a type of mosquito that is indigenous in our country. However, there are details about this virus that we did not know yet.

THE SOURCE OF ILLNESS ARE BIRDS 

The main contamination reservoir is different types of birds where the virus lives, and a man is an accident, or a so-called blind host because the Western Nile virus is no longer transmitted. Primary reservoir of infection are many types of birds (raven, crows, magpie, jackdaw...) and the infection that spreads through them is often asymptomatic, which means without symptoms of the disease. In endemic areas, the virus is maintained between birds that are infected and mosquitoes on the blood of birds.

Foto: Wikipedia/Sahara

It is transmitted to humans via the bite of the infected mosquito, which becomes infected when biting a bird carrying this virus. What is important to note is that the Western Nile virus is not transmitted by direct contact of one person to another by touching, kissing or caring of an infected person. There is currently no evidence that the Western Nile virus can be transmitted directly from birds to humans.

FIRST CASES IN SECOND HALF OF JULY 

However, dead birds may have different diseases and therefore they shouldn't be manipulated with bare hands.

The Western Nile Fever is a seasonal disease, which prevails in the period of the largest mosquito activity (West Nile virus vector). Taking into consideration the experience of many countries, as well as from Serbia, the first patients are usually registered in the second half of July and the number of patients increases the most during August and September.

Foto: Foter/Flickr/Sean McCann (ibycter.com)

In the past week, four people from Belgrade passed away from the West Nile virus, of the total of 44 people infected in the capital. Infected mosquitos were discovered in 47 locations, according to the last data from "Batut" institute. 

THE MOST EXPOSED IS PALILULA 

Municipality Palilula has up to 15 hot spots, and then there are Zemun and New Belgrade with 7 each, Vozdovac and Grocka with 4 each, Cukarica with 3, Old City and Rakovica 2 each, and there are infected mosquitoes on Surcin and Lazarevac. 

People of Belgrade should know that the infected mosquitoes were found on very "attractive" places, like The tower Nebojsa, Savamala, and "Dorcol" marina.

Foto ilustracija: Telegraf/Shutterstock/Pngtree

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(Telegraf.co.uk)