Fourth death from West Nile fever in Skopje; patient treated 27 days at Clinic for Infectious Diseases
Clinic director Fadil Cana: patient had severe neuroinvasive disease and other serious conditions; 20 people are hospitalized, five in intensive care.
A fourth person has died from West Nile fever in Skopje, health authorities at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases announced, bringing the country's death toll from the outbreak to four.
The latest victim was a 76-year-old man who had been treated at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases for 27 days in intensive care. Despite medical efforts, the patient’s pre-existing serious conditions and a severe neuroinvasive form affecting the brain and its membranes led to his death, Clinic director Fadil Cana said.
Current in-hospital caseload and severity
As of now, 20 patients with West Nile fever are hospitalized at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases: 18 cases are laboratory-confirmed and two are registered as clinical suspects. Five of the patients are in intensive care with more severe clinical presentations and are being treated according to established clinical protocols.
"What we as clinicians predicted yesterday was confirmed: the 25-year-old woman who had been listed as a clinical suspect was confirmed to have the neuroinvasive form of the infection. Meanwhile, last night a 24-year-old patient, recorded as a suspected case, was also hospitalized and during today or tomorrow we will know whether the clinical diagnosis is confirmed. He lives in Centar," Cana said.
He stressed that the neuroinvasive form requires hospital treatment. "All who are hospitalized at the clinic have the neuroinvasive form. They are one percent of the 100 percent infected. According to statistics, the most severe form of the disease develops in one percent of the total number infected. All patients are from Skopje. Medically advanced age is an independent risk factor for a poor outcome of this disease. According to all statistics and studies so far, it has been established that when there is a severe neuroinvasive form of inflammation of the brain and its membranes, advanced age is an independent risk factor that can lead to a poor outcome," he added.
So far, 15 patients have recovered and been discharged from the Clinic for Infectious Diseases.
Officials said yesterday that infectious departments across the country, primary care doctors and neurologists have been alerted to the current situation so they can identify and manage potential cases. Public health measures include targeted ground spraying against mosquitoes. Orce Gjorgievski, mayor of the City of Skopje, announced that tonight the city will carry out the 13th round of mosquito disinsection for this season.
Photo: press material from the event
