These three cities in Cordoba are at high risk due to the presence of the Nile virus
West Nile fever This is a new disease in Europe and its declaration is mandatory and urgent. Its presence is seasonal: in the case of Andalusia, from May to November, when its causative agent, West Nile virus, can be transmitted through the bites of certain species of mosquitoes that breed naturally. .
Hence the importance of having updated map areas where the virus can spread. In fact, the General Directorate of Public Health and Pharmaceutical Regulation of the Government of Andalusia begins this Saturday, June 1, a campaign against mosquito vectors, a task that will last until November next year. In total, the Council will closely monitor 127 municipalities, nine of which are in the province of Cordoba, according to the traffic light map, with the aim of “zoning the Andalusian territory into risk areas” and “minimizing the impact of infections on people.”
The map highlights 77 municipal areas of Cordoba, three of which are designated as places with risk level 4that is, “high risk” areas where there is evidence of Nile virus circulation in mosquitoes, birds and horses in the current season or in 2022 and 2023, within a distance of less than 1.5 km from a populated area, or at least one human case has been reported in 2022. /season 2023). Moreover, there are 23 cities in Andalusia, three of which are in Cordoba. Near Alcaracejos, Montalban And Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo.
What does this mean? At risk 4, if there are human cases, regional health services communicate information to health workers, especially at the primary health care level, as well as epidemiological surveillance. Mortality of horses and wild birds is monitored, and monitoring is carried out on horse farms located within a radius of less than 1.5 kilometers from urban centers, “where possible and so determined.”
At the level risk 3that is, moderate risk zones, Cordoba has two more municipalities: Obejun Spring And Palm River.
Finally, four more municipalities belong to the category predisposed areasequivalent to risk level 1. They Aguilar de la Frontera, Cordoba capital, Lucena And Genil Bridge. What does this mean? Essentially, this implies a number of obligations for administrations. Therefore, city councils should diagnose the situation and, if necessary, prepare a municipal plan including measures to monitor and control the mosquito population, and should inform and inform citizens about preventive sanitation measures during the epidemic. mosquito season is from March to November. As for the Council, its role is to provide technical advice and cooperation with the local administration; verification of actions and epidemiological surveillance. Finally, he is responsible for monitoring the animals.
This classification is based, as the Council explains, on the “accumulated” information on the spread of West Nile virus in different areas, environmental conditions and experience gained during the implementation of the program for 2021, 2022. 2023 by the various participating administrations. “The start of the 2024 TNF season of action should be a continuation of Good Actions previously carried out very positive actions for the surveillance and control of mosquitoes carrying FNO in Andalusia, which means for practical purposes an increase in the protection of the health of citizens,” the ministry’s instructions say.
What is West Nile virus?