Seven Israelis have died, but at least 81 people have so far been diagnosed with West Nile Virus, according to the latest update from the Health Ministry.
Of those diagnosed, 64 people have been diagnosed with the illness, including six who have been intubated and are being maintained on ventilators.
Most of the patients are from the center of the country.
About 80 percent of those who become infected do not develop symptoms of West Nile fever, the ministry says.
“Twenty percent of those infected will have symptoms of varying severity, including fever, general malaise, headaches or generalized body aches, and neurological complications will appear in less than one percent of those infected,” the ministry said.
But it is also important to know that the virus does not pass from person to person, and the disease does not pass back from person to mosquito.
The Ministry of Health updated its instructions for medical teams, who were instructed to focus their efforts on diagnosis and monitoring of the disease.
“The risk of significant morbidity is among adults and people with immunosuppression,” the ministry said.
In order to reduce exposure to mosquitoes, the ministry recommends using mosquito repellents and appropriate accessories to keep mosquitoes away in the living rooms, as well as turning on fans in the bedrooms.
West Nile fever has been known in Israel for many years and occurs mainly between the months of June and November. This year, however, the morbidity started earlier than usual, possibly due to the climate changes in Israel and the world. The humidity in central Israel may be leading to the reproduction and development of mosquitoes in the area.
In cases of West Nile fever, the Ministry of Health conducts an epidemiological investigation and the information is forwarded to the Ministry of Environmental Protection for prevention and local extermination activities by the authorities. In addition, the Ministries of Health and Environmental Protection inform the public about areas where mosquitoes infected with the virus are trapped.
For more information and FAQs on the Ministry of Health website, click here.
