West Nile virus spreads further: 43 human cases and first case in a dead crow in Skopje

In North Macedonia, the number of recorded cases of West Nile fever has reached 43, Health Minister Sasho Klekovski announced. Of these, 40 have been confirmed through laboratory analyses, while in three other people the virus was identified through only one test.

The presence of West Nile fever has also been detected for the first time in the territory of Skopje’s Centar and Chair municipalities.

Another previously unrecorded development is the confirmation of the virus in a dead crow found in Skopje. This is the first documented case of a bird testing positive for West Nile virus.

In recent weeks, the responsible institutions have received several reports of dead birds. The Food and Veterinary Agency collects them and then sends them for further examinations.

According to Klekovski, health authorities have already completed mapping the areas where the possibility of the virus spreading is considered highest.

“Municipal boundaries do not pose an obstacle to mosquitoes, which can travel one to two kilometers. At this point, we are addressing 34 risk areas, 13 of which have been classified as high-risk,” Klekovski said.

He explained that the risk is lower in flowing rivers where there are fish, as they feed on mosquito larvae. The situation is significantly more problematic in stagnant water, especially in areas with waste and conditions that favor mosquito breeding.

The irrigation canals in the Skopje Valley, various excavations where water has accumulated, as well as stagnant sections of rivers and so-called dead arms have been identified as the areas at greatest risk.

The list of critical locations includes areas along the Serava River in parts of Araçinovo and Butel, the canals in Jurumleri, as well as those located in Dračevo, Batinci and Studeniçani.

Authorities have also identified increased risk near cemeteries and septic tanks, where suitable conditions are created for water accumulation and mosquito reproduction./Telegrafi/