Dutch health authorities have confirmed a new West Nile virus infection in the province of North Brabant, bringing the total number of recorded domestic infections across the Netherlands to 72. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reports that there are now fewer new infections than in the summer months.
Confirmed Cases Reach 72 with Highest Concentration in Zuid-Holland
According to the RIVM, the national total reached 72 confirmed cases after additional patients tested positive. The highest concentration of infections is located in Zuid-Holland, where 41 people contracted the virus. Additional cases have been confirmed in Utrecht, Noord-Holland, Noord-Brabant, Gelderland, and Overijssel. In North Brabant, the recent diagnosis brings the provincial total to seven infected residents.
The total number of deaths resulting from the virus remains at ten, with no new fatalities reported over the past week. Many of the individuals diagnosed with the virus were identified after being admitted to the hospital due to their symptoms.
Mosquito Season Ends as New Infections Decrease
The West Nile virus primarily circulates among birds, and mosquitoes can become infected when feeding on a diseased bird before transmitting the pathogen to humans and other animals. RIVM reports that new infections have decreased compared to the summer months because the mosquito season has ended and the virus shows reduced activity at lower temperatures.
Health authorities maintain that the general probability of contracting the virus in the Netherlands remains low, alongside a low risk of falling ill after exposure. Roughly eighty percent of infected people experience no symptoms at all, while approximately nineteen percent develop flu-like complaints. Only about one percent of cases result in neurological symptoms, though individuals with vulnerable health conditions face an elevated risk of severe illness.
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