Penne confirms West Nile Virus case, triggers health protocols

A case of West Nile Virus (Wnv) has been confirmed in Penne, Italy. The infected individual, a resident of the via Guido Rossa neighborhood, is currently hospitalized at the San Massimo hospital in good health.

Following the notification from the Pescara ASL Public Hygiene and Health Service, local authorities have activated epidemiological surveillance procedures. The municipality is implementing protocols from the National Plan for Surveillance and Response to Arboviruses (PNA), coordinated by the Ministry of Health and the Higher Institute of Health, alongside Abruzzo regional regulations.

Mayor Gilberto Petrucci announced that extraordinary disinfestation measures, including adulticide treatments in public areas, have been initiated in the resident's neighborhood. The mayor noted that this isolated human case serves as an important epidemiological indicator of potential viral circulation in the area, particularly following a recent case in Pianella.