A new case of West Nile virus infection has been reported: a seventy-one-year-old man from Oristano has tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the fifteenth case diagnosed in the province so far this year. The man, over seventy, presented to the emergency room of San Martino Hospital with some symptoms but was later discharged and returned home.
Following the investigation, the Department of Hygiene and Health Prevention, headed by Dr. Maria Valentina Marras, immediately implemented all the measures required for the case: an epidemiological investigation and the cordoning off of the man's home to allow for more thorough disinfection within a 200-meter radius of his home.
PREVIOUS CASES – In recent weeks , three other people over seventy, seven over sixty, one over forty, two over eighty, and one over ninety have tested positive for the virus . Of these fourteen infected people, eleven are still hospitalized in various hospitals, while three have been discharged and returned home.
PREVENTION – There is no vaccine for West Nile fever, nor is there a specific treatment. Therefore, the local health authority reminds us, it is essential to protect yourself from bites and prevent mosquito breeding by taking certain precautions, including avoiding standing water.
In recent days, the information campaign, launched in April with the distribution of posters and brochures to healthcare facilities, general practitioners, and pharmacies, has also been strengthened . A new bilingual poster has also been distributed to municipal administrations, illustrating the disease's transmission system and providing a series of useful tips for avoiding infection.
(Unioneonline)