Person Dies from West Nile Virus in Netherlands; Virus Circulating in Region

A resident of the Netherlands has died from an infection with the West Nile virus, according to the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).

The individual contracted the virus within the Netherlands and passed away in a hospital. The RIVM has withheld specific details regarding age, sex, or place of residence due to privacy concerns. This fatality is the third reported human case this year where the infection was likely acquired domestically.

Earlier in August, the virus was identified in a blood donor from Utrecht who experienced mild symptoms, further indicating local transmission. The presence of West Nile virus has also been confirmed in a bird in Utrecht and a horse in South Holland, demonstrating its circulation in various parts of the Netherlands and its transmission by mosquitoes.

In Belgium, the virus has also been detected among wild birds, with positive tests from crows and a magpie in Brussels. This indicates the virus's presence in the bird population there, although no human cases have been reported in Belgium yet.

West Nile virus is primarily transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes, which contract the virus from birds. Humans cannot transmit the virus to each other through casual contact. Approximately 80% of infected individuals remain asymptomatic, while about 19% develop flu-like symptoms. A small percentage, around 1%, experience severe neurological complications such as encephalitis or meningitis. Individuals over 50 and those with compromised immune systems are at a higher risk of developing severe illness, and a small fraction of those with severe West Nile fever die.