Two patients with West Nile fever on mechanical ventilation

Two patients infected with West Nile fever, aged 76 and 66, are in critical condition and are on mechanical ventilation in the Intensive Care Unit at the Clinic for Infectious Diseases, informed director Dr. Fadil Cana.

Out of a total of seven confirmed cases of this viral disease, the condition of two patients has deteriorated and they have been placed on respiratory support, Cana emphasized.

Regarding the younger of the two critical cases, Cana clarified: "The 66-year-old patient was hospitalized on July 26, and due to deterioration of his health and the assessment of the intensive care physicians, he was intubated and placed on mechanical ventilation. He has not traveled outside the country and has multiple comorbidities." There is no additional public information about the 76-year-old patient apart from that he is on mechanical ventilation and is receiving appropriate intensive care.

Condition of the other patients

According to data from the Clinic, all seven confirmed patients are from neighborhoods in Skopje, and only one of them had stayed in Greece. Results from laboratory analyses at the Institute of Public Health are awaited for three more patients who were admitted with a diagnosis of acute inflammation of the brain and the meninges.

As the director noted, "Seven cases have been confirmed, and in another three there is a strong suspicion that it is the same infection." He added that all the other patients are over 60 years of age and have multiple chronic conditions, but are currently stable and are being treated according to modern medical protocols.

Cana emphasized that there is no specific cure for West Nile fever and that symptomatic and supportive therapy is primarily applied, and if the condition worsens, treatment follows international protocols. He also stressed that "It cannot be predicted in advance how the virus will act in the body. That is why patients are hospitalized, followed and monitored by infectious disease specialists."

The Clinic for Infectious Diseases remains open for patient admissions and is in coordination with health institutions. From there they appealed to citizens to follow the recommendations of the competent services for protection against the virus.

Photo: Sloboden Pechat - Metodi Zdravev