Shafaqna English– In an official statement released on Wednesday(19 Aug 2026), North Macedonia’s health ministry disclosed that the country has recorded 38 confirmed cases of West Nile fever since the beginning of the year, with four fatalities among those infected. Alarmingly, three of these deaths have occurred within just the last seven days, indicating a possible acceleration in the severity or transmission rate of the viral illness.
The World Health Organization has stated that West Nile virus is primarily transmitted to humans via the bite of infected mosquitoes. While many infected individuals may remain asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms, WHO data indicates that approximately 0.67% of cases—roughly one in every 150 infected persons—can develop into severe neuroinvasive disease, which may manifest as meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis, posing a significant risk of long-term complications or death.
Source: Reuters