AMSTERDAM: A person has died in a Dutch hospital after contracting West Nile virus in the Netherlands, the country’s public health institute RIVM said on Wednesday.
RIVM reported last week the first West Nile virus infection acquired within the Netherlands since 2020. It has since said that the number of infections believed to have been contracted within the country has risen to three.
It was not immediately clear whether the person who died was among the previously reported patients. RIVM did not provide further details about the case.
West Nile virus is mainly transmitted to humans through mosquito bites. According to the World Health Organization, around one in 150 infected people can develop severe, potentially life-threatening illness.
The WHO has warned that warmer temperatures are giving mosquitoes more favourable conditions to survive, remain active for longer and spread West Nile virus across Europe. Cases have increased in countries including Greece and Italy this summer.
Despite the reported infections and death, RIVM said it remained “very unlikely” for people to contract West Nile virus within the Netherlands.
