Kochani, 18 July 2024 (MIA) – The Public Health Institute in Skopje has confirmed that the second registered case of West Nile fever has been detected in Kochani, noting that the patient got infected during a trip to Tunisia at the end of last month.

The patient, a 34-year-old Kochani resident, developed symptoms on July 7 including fever, fatigue and weakness, body aches, headache, after which he collapsed and was taken by an ambulance vehicle to the General Hospital in Kochani.  

An epidemiological survey has been prepared by a competent epidemiologist at the Kochani- based Public Health Center. Two days later, the patient was transferred to the infectious department at the Shtip Clinical Hospital.  

"A serological test was performed obtaining data on the presence of antibodies against the causative agent - WNV, at the virological laboratory of the Public Health Institute, i.e. the disease West Nile fever was confirmed. The patient was hospitalized at the Shtip Clinical Hospital in the period July 9 - July 15, 2024, and was discharged from hospital in good health. Epidemiological survey data were obtained from the patient, family doctor, infectious disease specialist and the medical record. In the period from June 24 - July 1,.2024, the patient was on a tourist trip to Tunisia where he noticed mosquitoes in large numbers and was bitten by mosquitoes even though he used repellents for most of the period during his trip," said the Public Health Institute. 

According to the report of the competent epidemiologist, regular disinfection has been carried out in Kochani. 

A total of two confirmed cases of West Nile fever have been reported in the country in 2024. The first case, which was also an imported case, was registered in April with a resident of the municipality of Vasilevo, on the territory of the Public Health Center - Strumica.

Photo: MIA