Germany reports first-ever case of West Nile virus in a human
- The virus, which originally stems from Africa, first occurred in the country in animals in 2018
- So far in Germany, there had only been cases involving travellers who contracted the disease in affected regions
Germany has seen its first confirmed case of the mosquito-spread West Nile virus in a human.
“The person from [the eastern state of] Saxony suffered from encephalitis, was treated at the Klinikum St Georg in Leipzig and has recovered,” several institutions, including the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, announced on Friday.
The virus often does not cause symptoms in humans. Serious and deadly cases are rare and usually involve older people with pre-existing illnesses.
So far in Germany, there had only been cases involving travellers who contracted the disease in affected regions.
The virus, which originally stems from Africa, first occurred in Germany in animals in 2018.
It is transmitted by certain breeds of mosquitoes. Owls, birds of prey and ravens are the virus' most common hosts. However, it can also be transmitted to horses and humans.