Ukraine is facing a “serious” challenge with the West Nile virus, as noted by Deputy Health Minister Ihor Kuzin. Over the past three months, nearly a dozen people have succumbed to this mosquito-borne illness amid the ongoing conflict in the country.
In an interview with the BBC’s Ukrainian service, Kuzin emphasized, “It is serious, it will remain serious.” West Nile virus spreads through infected mosquitoes and can lead to symptoms like fever, rashes, headaches, and gastrointestinal issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The risk typically rises during the summer and fall when mosquitoes are more active.
Humans become infected when mosquitoes bite after feeding on birds carrying the virus, and outbreak zones usually align with bird migration paths, several of which run through Ukraine, Kuzin explained.
While 80% of West Nile infections show no symptoms, about 1 in 150 cases can result in severe illness or death, with the mortality rate in Ukraine estimated between 2% and 14% by health authorities.
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File
Currently, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for this virus, which has been recognized since the 1930s, first identified in Uganda. Notably, in late August, prominent immunologist Anthony Fauci, who helmed the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic, was hospitalized after contracting West Nile virus, which he likely caught near his home in Washington D.C.
Fauci described his experience as “terrifying” and shared that he was on the road to recovery following the ordeal.
Since early July, Ukraine has reported 11 fatalities related to West Nile virus among a total of 88 cases, as per Kuzin’s update. The Public Health Center confirmed 41 new cases in August alone, bringing the yearly total to 50 with reports of complications leading to three deaths at Kyiv’s St. Michael Clinical Hospital.
The infected patients hailed from various areas, prompting officials to prepare for a potential increase in cases going forward. Kuzin remarked, “We probably have to get used to the fact that this fever will be in even greater numbers in Ukraine.”
To minimize risk, experts recommend wearing protective clothing, securing window nets, and applying mosquito repellent.