The first victim of West Nile Virus in Greece
21 August 2013 / 20:08:28
The first victim of West Nile Virus in Greece is a fact. As reported by the National Centre for Control and Prevention of Disease, the deceased was an 81-year-old man who lived in the resort of Porto Rafti near Athens. For years, the man suffered from a cardiovascular disease. On Sunday he went to an examination at the district hospital, but doctors there were not able to identify his complaints with the symptoms of West Nile Virus. The same evening his condition deteriorated and he was admitted to Athens hospital “Elpis”.
So far, 35 cases of infection with the dangerous disease have been recorded in Greece. 21 of them had cerebral complications in the nervous system – a stroke, meningitis, or a complete or partial paralysis. Three of them were admitted for treatment in the intensive care unit. In the remaining 14, minor complications, such as high temperature, were observed.
According to the Centre for Control and Prevention of Disease, areas with the greatest risk of spread of the infection in Attica include Spata, Paiania, Pallini, Markopoulo, Rafina, Iraklio, Maroussi, Vrilissia, Halandri, Pendeli, Agia Paraskevi and Galatsi.
In the rest of the country, various parts of northern Greece are especially dangerous, such as Kavala, Xanthi, Imathia and Thessaloniki. Authorities ensure that all measures are being taken in order to combat mosquitoes, which are the main spreaders of West Nile Fever.
West Nile Fever appeared in Greece in 2010 for the first time, killing 35 people, mostly elderly people with chronic diseases. In 2011, the infection killed 9 people, all of them over the age of 65. In 2012, West Nile Fever caused the death of 18 elderly people, all of whom with health problems.