The RIVM has confirmed that West Nile virus has been found in a horse, a bird, and a human within a short period of time in the Netherlands.
According to them, this means that “mosquitoes carrying the West Nile virus are active in the Netherlands.”
This marks the first human infection with the West Nile virus in the Netherlands since 2020.
Utrecht donor tests positive
The virus was detected in a blood donor during an investigation by Sanquin Research, which looked at blood donors from areas where the virus had previously been detected in horses, birds, or mosquitoes.
In this case, the donor, who lives in the province of Utrecht and who has not been abroad recently, tested positive for the virus. They only had minor symptoms.
Since the person has not travelled recently, researchers believe they contracted it in the Netherlands.
How does West Nile virus spread?
So, is this like coronavirus again? Short answer: nee.
The West Nile virus is spread when a mosquito bites an infected bird. If it then bites mammals such as humans or horses, it can spread the virus to them as well.
The good news? Unless you also enjoy biting and sucking blood, even if you did contract the virus, you wouldn’t be able to pass it on to anyone else. We’re not looking down the barrel of another lockdown.
More good news: 80% of people who contract the virus develop no symptoms. Just 19% may develop flu-like symptoms, and only 1% of people develop any neurological symptoms.
That being said, the virus can still be nasty for vulnerable groups, such as people over the age of 50 and people with lower immunity.
So, how can I protect myself?
The key to avoiding the virus is to avoid mosquitoes. If you’ve already spent the summer swatting them away, keep it up.
Here’s what the RIVM advises:
- Wear long clothing when possible (think long skirts and pants, and long-sleeved shirts)
- Try to sleep under a mosquito net
- Always use mosquito repellent, like DEET
- Invest in screens for windows and doors
And finally, take a breath. While the virus may be in the country, the RIVM writes that the chances of someone actually contracting West Nile virus in the Netherlands remain very small.
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