Swiss authorities keep close eye on West Nile fever in Italy

Seven people have now died in Italy after contracting the disease. Swiss authorities – particularly in canton Ticino – are watching the situation. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox While the Lazio region around Rome – with three deaths and 44 confirmed infections – has been most impacted, more northern regions of Italy including Lombardy, the Po Valley, and Piedmont have also been affected. In Switzerland, this hasn’t gone unnoticed by the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and authorities in Ticino, particularly along the border with Italy. The infectious agent of West Nile fever is transmitted by mosquitoes or ticks carrying the virus. “Given that the vectors (mosquitoes) and main hosts (wild birds) are present here in Switzerland, the country could be affected,” writes the FOPH. The virus can infect birds and mammals, including horses, dogs, and cats. However, the disease is also a zoonosis, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans. It ...