Since last week, 10 new cases of infection with the West Nile virus have been reported in Croatia, bringing the total number of discovered cases to 26, with one person dying due to complications caused by the disease, the state public health institute said on Monday.

All the cases of the West Nile virus infection – carried by mosquitoes – were reported in the north-western and eastern regions of the country.

The deceased person was an elderly man who had suffered from several chronic diseases, and he died at the Osijek general hospital on August 18.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), by August 30 this year, 710 cases of infection with West Nile virus were reported this year around Europe, including 327 in Italy, 213 in Serbia, 147 in Greece, 117 in Romania and 96 in Hungary.

The West Nile fever is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, who transmit the virus to humans after feeding on infected birds. In humans, infection can occur through organ transplantation and blood transfusion.

An incubation period of 3-14 days precedes symptoms, although most human infections are asymptomatic. The majority of clinical cases present flu-like symptoms. Severe cases with signs of encephalitis or meningitis, are most often observed among elderly patients. No specific therapy for the disease is available.

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