There is no sign of widespread transmission of West Nile virus in Cyprus at present, Microbiology Professor Dr Petros Karayiannis said, striking a reassuring tone.
Karayiannis recommended that the public take simple but effective protective measures. He said people over 60, most often with underlying health conditions, can develop a more severe reaction with serious symptoms such as encephalitis and meningitis, since the virus attacks the central nervous system.
He called on the public, not only the elderly or those with other illnesses, to take simple precautions such as wearing long-sleeved clothing and using insect repellent when out in open areas and near standing water. He also said households should not leave standing water in containers, as this becomes a breeding ground for the mosquitoes that transmit the virus, and that these breeding sites need to be eliminated.
Karayiannis also urged hunters heading out to hunting areas on Sunday to wear long clothing and use insect repellent, noting that mosquitoes bite mainly in the evening and early morning, when hunters tend to be out.
He said no measures were needed at airports, since the virus is carried by birds, mainly corvids, and that mosquitoes acquire it specifically from wild birds.
He explained that if dead birds are suddenly spotted, it is best not to approach them, and that all open areas with standing water are potential breeding sites, including reservoirs, although water there is stirred and contains fish.
Spraying should take place, he said, mainly at the salt lakes currently drying out and in riverbeds that collected water from recent rains.
He added that the climate crisis is not helping matters, with shifting weather patterns, saying that in the coming years “the crisis will turn things upside down.”
Karayiannis noted that symptoms are mostly mild for the general population, and urged anyone who develops flu-like symptoms, including intense muscle pain and rashes, to consult their doctor. He said the Health Ministry has a protocol in place for handling cases of the virus.
(Cyprus News Agency)
