A NUMBER of people have been struck down by the fatal West Nile virus across Spain.
Fuengirola and Mijas, seaside areas visited by thousands of British tourists every year, have now been put on red alert after mosquitos carrying the disease were found.
Tourists on the beach in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain Credit: Alamy
A blood-engorged female Aedes albopictus mosquito feeding Credit: Getty – Contributor
Checks on insects, animals and humans are being stepped up, community promotion actions activated and warnings issued to the public.
This comes as the Spanish health ministry confirmed a new “mild” case of the West Nile fever [caused by the virus] in humans in the area, bringing the number of those diagnosed this season to five.
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A man living in Coria del Río, Seville, presented the first symptoms on July 17 and the case was confirmed on Friday following tests.
“The ministry has decided to extend until August 14 the period of alert area of this Sevillian municipality,” said a health department spokesperson.
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With Bollullos de la Mitación, Seville, Fuengirola and Las Lagunas, Malaga, there are now 15 Andalusian municipalities declared as an area on alert.
In previous years, there have been at least 10 deaths from the virus in Andalusia.
Spain is not the only European country that has fallen to the potentially deadly virus.
As of July 22, 35 areas across six countries have been affected, according to the European Centre for Disease prevention and Control.
These areas are located in Italy (20), Greece (six), Romania (four), North Macedonia (two), Spain (two) and France (one).
Altogether, 81 locally acquired human cases have been reported, with more than half of them in Italy.
The UK has not logged any cases of mosquito-borne diseases caught here.
But the UK Health Security Agency last week revealed that more than 750 cases of mosquito-borne illnesses had been reported in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since the start of 2026, caught while travelling.
As cases are rising, the World Health Organisation has urged people in the affected areas to focus on prevention.
“Simple steps like covering up, using insect repellent and clearing stagnant water around the home can make a real difference,” said Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
There is no licensed vaccine for humans. Treatment is limited to managing symptoms and supportive care in hospital for severe cases.
Most people infected with West Nile virus – around 70 to 80% – develop no symptoms.
Those who do may experience fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes a rash or swollen lymph nodes.
These can last a few days to several weeks, with patients treated using fluids, bed rest and over-the-counter painkillers.
“Anyone who develops a high fever, rash or neck stiffness after a mosquito bite should see a doctor without delay,” Kluge said.
Of those with symptoms, less than one per cent will develop a severe form of the disease – called West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) – which can be deadly.
In this, the virus infects the brain and causes encephalitis, or inflammation of the organ, leading to seizures, disorientation, paralysis and coma.
