One person was infected with the West Nile virus in the Arnhem region last month, the RIVM reports Wednesday. It was previously known that six people had contracted the virus in the Utrecht region.
The RIVM announced the first infection last month. Last week, another five people were found to be infected. Now it appears that a seventh person has tested positive.
According to the institute, patients in the Utrecht region contracted the infection in the month of July or August. The patient in the Arnhem region became infected in October. According to the RIVM, this is remarkable, because the mosquito season is almost over.
Since Friday, blood donations from the Arnhem region have been selectively screened by Sanquin blood bank for the presence of the virus, as previously in Utrecht. “This is done to prevent the virus from being transferred to patients in Dutch hospitals via blood transfusion,” said the RIVM.
People cannot infect each other in any other way, according to the RIVM. The virus comes from birds and is transmitted to humans via mosquitoes.
According to the RIVM, infection with the West Nile virus sometimes gives a flu-like illness. In rare cases (1 percent), neurological symptoms such as encephalitis can also occur. People who develop these symptoms run a small risk of death.
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