Nile fever, maximum alert in the Oristano area: measures against the virus have been strengthened

Surveillance of "suspicious" cases on humans, and maximum attention on birds and equines. And then the installation of insect traps to verify viral circulation, information activities on the correct measures to be taken to defend against mosquito bites, blood control from donations, indication of risk areas on which to intervene with disinfestation.

These are the main actions implemented by the ASL of Oristano in collaboration with the Insect Center of the Province and the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Sardinia , for the prevention, surveillance and fight against Nile Fever, the virus of which is carried by animals. to man through the mosquito.

The measures were strengthened following the ascertainment of two positive cases on as many people, both of advanced age, admitted to the San Martino hospital around mid-August.

The virus was first isolated in the province of Oristano in 2011 .

CRISIS UNIT - "The West Nile Crisis Unit of the Oristano Asl Department and the Regional Crisis Unit have been activated and urgently called - explains the director of the Prevention Department, Roberto Puggioni - in order to assess the situation and to agree with all the subjects and bodies involved in the plan the additional and more appropriate surveillance and contrast measures, with respect to the ordinary ones, to deal with the emergency, according to the indications of the National Arbovirus Plan ".

DOCTORS IN THE FIELD - In the field there is also a capillary work to raise awareness of the population , involving family doctors, pediatricians of free choice, outpatient clinics and social welfare communities, so that citizens are informed on the precautions to be taken to defend themselves from mosquito bites through disclosure of information material on the virus.

"The Nile Fever virus in 80 percent of cases develops asymptomatically , in 20 percent it gives rise to fever, headache and only in a percentage less than 1% can it cause neurological symptoms", underlines the director of the Public Health Service Maria Valentina Marras. "For humans - he continues - there is no vaccine or specific therapy , so to avoid contracting it, especially if it is elderly or frail subjects, you need to protect yourself from mosquitoes through a series of measures ".

(Unioneonline / vl)