The Junta de Andalucía has expanded this Thursday the information regarding the first person affected by the Nile Virus in Spain in 2021 , detailing that it is a 35-year-old male resident of Dos Hermanas (Seville) , currently “under study” and that initially admitted for coronavirus .
The patient suffers from meningoencephalitis and “remains stable” in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a hospital in Seville. With the return of the heat, epidemiologist experts recommend extreme precautions . Last year this virus left seven deaths in Andalusia. It should be remembered that it is only transmitted by mosquito bites and not from person to person .
The Minister of Health and Families of the Junta de Andalucía, Jesús Aguirre , in statements to Canal Sur Radio collected by Europa Press , has specified that the affected person is “a young person who was admitted for coronavirus”, although in the ICU he presented “a picture of meningoencephalitis “, which is why” the protocol that we established last year in Andalusia “was applied, which is” perhaps the most active that currently exists in Spain for the treatment of Nile Virus “, as has been highlighted.
He added that, “this man, although the admission and diagnosis was due to coronavirus,” developed meningoencephalitis, for which the aforementioned protocol was applied and “it was positive .”
The counselor reported this issue on Wednesday to both the Minister and the Secretary of State for Health, Carolina Darias and Silvia Calzón , respectively, with whom he was able to speak personally, as he himself specified.
Aguirre has confirmed that the clinical samples collected in this case will be sent to the reference laboratory, located at the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital in Granada , and to the National Microbiology Center , for a “double confirmation of Nile Virus”.
Jesús Aguirre has also indicated that “right now there is no circulation of the mosquito” that transmits this virus, nor is there ” any declaration of Nile Virus in animals ” in Andalusia, as confirmed by the Ministry of Agriculture and pointed out by the Andalusian owner of Health before concluding that, in this way, “this case may be very unique and we have it under study.”
For his part, the general director of Public Health and Pharmaceutical Management, José María de Torres , has indicated that “the circumstances in which we are is not to launch any alarm” and has asked for “total peace of mind.”
He also stressed that “right now there are no sick birds, there are no horses with the disease – the horse is an animal species that is used as an alert system – and at the time we are in, it is too early for the virus to start to circulate ».
Precautions
The Epidemiological Surveillance Service reminds that there is no contagion from person to person and that said transmission is by bite. In addition, it provides a list of preventive measures to avoid mosquito bites:
- Use mosquito nets on windows and doors.
- Try not to stay outdoors between dusk and dawn.
- Try to leave the light off.
- Follow correct body hygiene daily.
- Avoid strong perfumes.
- Wear clothing that covers the skin as much as possible and shake it before use if it has been laid outside.
- Make proper use of repellants, strictly following the recommendations on the mode and frequency of use described by the manufacturer. If you use sun cream, you must apply it first, allow it to absorb for twenty minutes, and then apply the mosquito repellent.
