Two new West Nile fever cases recorded each week, six patients receiving hospital treatment

Health Minister Sasho Klekovski believes that the wave of West Nile fever cases is declining in the country. According to him, the trend in new cases suggests that the situation is stabilizing.

Referring to the latest data, Klekovski noted that only two new patients were recorded in each of the past two weeks. “After the Public Health Institute publishes its report on Monday, we expect to have two additional cases that are currently suspected. At present, six people are hospitalized at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, a clear indication that the peak of the outbreak has passed,” he said.

The minister explained that no direct link can be established between falling temperatures and the decrease in infections, noting that the virus has an incubation period of 3 to 14 days. However, he added that it is impossible to identify epidemiological patterns that are completely predictable. Meanwhile, three infected dead crows have also been identified, two in the municipality of Karposh and one in Resen.

The condition of patients hospitalized at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases varies. Director Fadil Cana said that six patients are currently receiving treatment, two of whom have been hospitalized for a longer period of time and have more complicated clinical conditions. They are in intensive care, intubated and receiving respiratory support. The other four patients are in stable condition and are being treated in the Neuroinfections Department. Of these, two are new suspected cases, while the other two are in the final stage of recovery and are expected to be discharged from the hospital in the coming days.

National data updated on September 8 show that 58 cases of West Nile fever have been recorded in North Macedonia. Of these, 54 have been definitively confirmed, while the other four are considered highly probable infections. According to the official report from the Public Health Institute, eight men have died as a result of the disease. All were residents of Skopje, with an average age of 71.9 years.

Of the total number of infected people, the gender distribution shows a marked predominance among men, with 46 cases compared with 12 among women. Cases remain concentrated mainly in Skopje, where 55 patients have been recorded, while sporadic cases have also emerged in Veles, Kumanovo and Sveti Nikole. The age distribution of those affected shows that 47 people are over the age of 60, while five patients are currently continuing to receive hospital care.