West Nile virus causes first fatality in Andalusia, total cases climb to 17

The Junta de Andalucía confirmed the region's first death from West Nile virus western strain when an 82‑year‑old man from Dos Hermanas died on 27 July after developing meningoencephalitis. The fatality brings the seasonal total to 17 confirmed infections, including five neuroinvasive cases, across several municipalities in the province of Sevilla such as Dos Hermanas, Aznalcázar, La Puebla del Río and others.

Health authorities have declared multiple localities, including Dos Hermanas and Aznalcázar, as alert areas until late August. Measures include intensified entomological, animal and human surveillance, expanded mosquito‑control treatments (larvicides and adulticides), and public‑information campaigns through pharmacies and nursing staff. All reported cases have been mild, with patients discharged without complications.

In response to the broader risk, the Extremadura health service launched a proactive mosquito‑surveillance program in ten municipalities, deploying traps and PCR testing to detect the virus early and trigger preventive actions before human cases appear.