Venice, «West Nile» alarm: cluster of infected mosquitoes identified
West Nile Virus, the USL 3 has identified a group of carrier mosquitoes in the province of Venice. This is the first cluster intercepted thanks to monitoring infected specimens which, by biting, can transmit the virus to humans. Today, Tuesday 29 June, more information on localization and recommendations for prevention will be provided. Present in Veneto since 2008, West Nile is transmitted not by tiger mosquitoes but by homegrown ones (le culex pipiens) and a classic case of zoonosis, that is to say a jump of species between viral diseases, such as Covid. In this case, the carriers are birds, the mosquitoes that bite them become infected and then transmit it to humans and equines..
The epidemic in 2018
In 2018 the West Nile in Veneto caused an epidemic and 19 deaths, since then the traps and a massive and continuous pest control plan launched by the Veneto Region has kept the spread under control. The disease in 80 percent of cases comes and goes without any symptoms; in 20 percent of symptomatic cases, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, swollen lymph nodes, rashes occur in children, more pronounced in young people and adults and can be severe in elderly and debilitated people. In the 1 percent it is serious contagions with high fever, convulsions, permanent neurological effects, paralysis, coma and death, to avoid which surveillance was launched. There is no vaccine for humans, wild birds cannot be vaccinated so it is necessary to contain the proliferation of mosquitoes. The General Communidites for pest control, citizens are required to comply with the ordinances that impose not to leave stagnant water, gardens and to use biological larvicides in cages.. Specifically, it is forbidden to leave jars, covers, waste, various scattered material that can collect water; it is necessary to empty daily, wash and overturn basins, bins, buckets, watering cans and hermetically cover bins and tanks. Even the saucers, which in times of drought encourages not to waste water, must be removed or turned upside down.
Repellents are very expensive
The most effective prevention is to avoid being stung and therefore you have to arm yourself with repellents. Which cost an arm and a leg, they are expensive like all the rest of consumer goods – even more, compared to the disinfectant gel and masks in the acute pandemic phase – and there is no shield of the controlled price of the state despite constituting a real and its defense against contagion.
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June 30, 2022 (change June 30, 2022 | 20:19)
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