Italy recorded 51 new West Nile virus infections between September 12th and September 18th, bringing the total number of cases registered since May 2024 to 382.

This came after authorities recorded 64 new cases between August 29th and September 4th, and another 35 over the following seven-day period (September 5th-11th), according to the National Health Institute (ISS).

A total of 16 people have died from the virus since May 2024, the ISS said.

Veneto, in northern Italy, was the region with the highest number of confirmed deaths, with 7, followed by Piedmont (3), Emilia Romagna (3), Lombardy (1), Friuli Venezia Giulia (1) and Calabria (1).

Infections were recorded in a total of 45 provinces across 12 regions: Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, Abruzzo, Campania, Puglia, Calabria and Sardinia.

Of the 382 cases registered by health authorities, 222 presented meningitis or encephalitis symptoms, with 131 such cases recorded in the northeastern Emilia Romagna region alone.

The West Nile virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes (mostly of the Culex species) but cannot pass from human to human.

Most infected people show no symptoms, according to the ISS. 

Severe symptoms, including high fever, headaches, tremors, drowsiness, and seizures, occur in fewer than one percent of infected people. In the most severe cases (around one in 1,000), the virus can cause fatal encephalitis.

There is currently no vaccine for West Nile fever.

There is also no specific treatment for the symptoms caused by the virus. Patients showing the more serious symptoms are admitted to hospital and treated with IV fluids and assisted ventilation.

As of September 18th, 16 countries in Europe had reported cases of West Nile virus infection, including France, Germany and Spain, according to European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.