The National Institute of Public Health confirmed on Friday a positive case of West Nile virus (WNV).
According to the announcement, the patient is a Kosovo citizen, born in 2005. He is being treated at the Infectious Diseases Clinic at the University Clinical Center. The patient is in stable condition.
The announcement emphasizes that the patient had no history of travel outside Kosovo to countries where the virus has currently been reported.
West Nile virus is a seasonal disease that occurs during the summer months and is transmitted primarily through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
According to the announcement, 9 such cases were registered in Kosovo in the period 2021-2025. This year, seven countries in Europe have reported such cases.
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The National Institute for Public Health (NIPHK) has announced that the virus is not transmitted from person to person through casual contact, but mainly through the bites of infected mosquitoes.
About 80% of infected people do not develop any symptoms, while about 20% may experience fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, or skin rash. Only a very small number of cases (less than 1%) develop severe forms that affect the nervous system, mainly in the elderly or those with comorbidities.
The National Institute of Public Health recommends that citizens take simple preventive measures:
•Use mosquito repellent according to the manufacturer's instructions.
•Wear long-sleeved clothing and pants, especially in the evening.
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•Install protective screens on windows and doors.
•Eliminate standing water in yards, vases, containers, or other places where mosquitoes breed.
•Avoid being outdoors during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.
•Keep swimming pools, fountains, and surfaces where water can collect clean.
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People traveling to countries where the virus is present are advised to use protective measures against mosquito bites and, if they develop symptoms during or after travel, to seek medical attention.
The National Institute for Public Health has said that there is no room for panic.
