Health Ministry says 48 people diagnosed with West Nile fever, 4 died

The Health Ministry announces that 48 people have been diagnosed with West Nile fever in an outbreak this month, of whom 36 have been hospitalized, with five of them on ventilators.

A total of four people who were diagnosed with the virus have died, and there is a suspected additional death under investigation for the virus.

All patients are from the central region of the country.

In general, about 80% of those infected do not develop symptoms of West Nile fever. About 20% of those infected will show symptoms of varying severity, including fever, general malaise, headaches, or widespread body pain. Less than 1% of those infected have neurological complications.

“The virus is not transmitted from person to person, and the disease does not spread back from humans to mosquitoes,” the Health Ministry said.