Mosquito bites are causing havoc in Suceava, Romania, where three patients, all over 80 years old, have been admitted to the County Emergency Hospital with the West Nile virus.
The patients were infected by mosquitoes without having traveled outside the country.
One of the elderly individuals has passed away, another is in critical condition, hospitalized in the intensive care unit.
The patients are aged 81, 83, and 88, respectively.
They were admitted to the hospital presenting symptoms such as fever, headache, and confusion syndrome.
"They were diagnosed with meningitis, in which case a lumbar puncture is performed to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for pathogen identification. Following the CSF analysis, the West Nile virus was identified in all three patients," said representatives of the Suceava hospital, as quoted by News.ro.
The 81-year-old patient had a favorable disease progression and was discharged on August 17. The 83-year-old patient, who had other medical conditions, passed away on Monday due to the aggravation of associated pathologies.
The 88-year-old patient, who has been hospitalized since July 29, "experienced an unfavorable evolution with a worsening general condition and was transferred to the intensive care unit on August 1, his condition remaining critical."
"The disease is transmitted through mosquito bites, not from person to person," says Cristina Agavriloaie, spokesperson for the Suceava Public Health Department, on ProTV.
The Public Health Department informed the Prefecture, and the Blood Transfusion Center no longer accepts donors from the city of Suceava and two communes where disinsection is carried out.
One month ago, we had the first case of West Nile virus infection this season, confirmed in Bucharest.
Doctors recommend the population:
- to avoid exposure to mosquitoes by wearing long-sleeved clothing and long pants;
- to use chemical repellents for mosquitoes;
- to prevent mosquitoes from entering the house by installing protective screens on windows,
- to ensure the drainage of water puddles around the household;
- to remove stagnant water containers and household waste.