Mission Statement: to assist the integration of foreign residents living in Spain
By Marc Menendez-Roche •
Published: 06 Nov 2024 • 12:00
• 2 minutes read
A Marbella resident has become Málaga province s first-ever recorded human victim of the West Nile Virus. This case was confirmed on Monday, November 4, after a series of tests that traced the infection back to the sleepy town of Guaro, where the man owns a piece of land.
According to the Junta de Andalucía’s Health and Consumer Affairs Department, the man first felt symptoms a couple of months ago, but only now has he tested positive. A negative result in Guadalhorce Hospital initially raised hopes, but further tests in Granada confirmed it: this is the first case in Málaga where the virus has infected a human.
The silent spreader in Guaro’s water.
It turns out, Guaro’s water samples tell the tale. The infected water has been pinned as the likely cause, although it s important to note that humans cannot spread this virus to one another. It’s the bite of infected mosquitoes that carries the illness, not human contact. And while equine cases have been recorded before, this is the first human case to breach Málaga s borders.
Facts about the West Nile Virus: no person-to-person spread.
This bug is a vector-borne virus, meaning it hitches a ride on mosquitoes, who pick it up from birds before passing it on to unlucky humans and horses. The West Nile Virus belongs to the Flaviviridae family, the same viral group behind other menaces like Dengue and Yellow Fever.
Although horses and humans can suffer from this virus, they’re known as ‘dead-end hosts’- they can get infected but cannot pass it on to other humans or horses.
The infection can lead to a fever or, in some severe untreated cases, neurological damage. But, parents and grandparents, don t panic. While it s still important to be vigilant, children aren t generally considered at high risk for severe symptoms. The thing to be aware of is that when children have severe symptoms, it s easy to assume it s the flu or another common illness, so monitoring any flu-like symptoms coupled with mosquito bites is advisable.
A spreading threat in Andalusia: Guaro is ground zero
Over recent years, Andalusia has recorded cases of the virus in birds and equine animals. Since 2010, sightings of the virus’s lineage 1 have cropped up around Spain in places like Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, and Cataluña. And now, it’s reared its head in Málaga, marking a new chapter in this unsettling saga.
The EU and Spain’s fight against the virus
West Nile Fever, known in Spain as Fiebre del Valle del Nilo Occidental, has seen Spain tighten its animal health laws under Real Decreto 779/2023. Under EU regulation, authorities must report cases and actively work to prevent further spread.
To curb the risk, officials urge people in high-risk areas like Guaro to use mosquito repellents and clear standing water that could create new breeding grounds for the bugs, especially as the humid summers in some areas provide prime conditions. Meanwhile, authorities continue to monitor cases in both animals and humans to prevent any further infections.
The people of Costa del Sol are no strangers to unusual health threats, but with the West Nile Virus now at their doorstep, vigilance is important. According to the data, there is absolutely no reason to panic, but keeping your sprays ready, and being aware of symptoms is important. Don’t let these bugs ruin the fun.
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Written by
Marc Menendez-Roche
Marc is a writer, teacher, and language enthusiast with a passion for making complex topics simple and accessible.
With a background in business and legal communication and an interest in educational neuroscience, Marc has spent over a decade teaching and writing.
Now, as part of the team at Euro Weekly News, Marc enjoys diving into entertaining topics and stories that matter to the community.
When he’s not writing, Marc loves practising martial arts, playing football, cooking up a storm in the kitchen, or spending quality time with friends and family, but above all, Marc enjoys spending time with his son, Macson.
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