The increase in the number of West Nile fever (WNF) cases in Russia is causing “significant concern” among doctors and scientists.
By July 31, seven cases of this disease were recorded in the Russian Federation. Four patients in Tatarstan and three in the Ryazan region.
Ecologist Vadim Petrov spoke about the spread of LZN in a conversation with RIA Novosti . The expert said that the disease is spread by mosquitoes. The infection is transmitted through an insect bite.
The spread of the disease was influenced by global warming. The increase in average temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns created favorable conditions for mosquitoes.
Scientists have found that an increase in average temperature by just 1°C leads to an increase in the mosquito population by 10–15%, which is a lot.
Russians with LZN are treated by specialists of the inpatient infectious disease centers of the Russian Ministry of Health. In addition, anti-epidemic measures are being taken.
West Nile fever most often affects people in Africa and Asia. However, the number of cases has recently been increasing in America and Europe.