Israel urges mosquito control after West Nile virus detected in South

The Israeli Health and Environmental Protection Ministries announced the capture of West Nile virus-infected female mosquitoes in the Tamar Regional Council area in southern Israel. This discovery prompted instructions for the council to enhance its prevention and mosquito control efforts, with other local authorities also urged to intensify measures to reduce mosquito breeding. Six cases of West Nile fever have been diagnosed in Israel this year, and while no other infected mosquito areas have been identified, the risk of outbreaks is higher between June and November. West Nile fever is transmitted to humans through mosquito bites after feeding on infected birds, not person-to-person. Most cases are mild or asymptomatic, but serious complications like encephalitis or meningitis can occur in rare instances, particularly in older adults or those with weakened immune systems. There is no specific antiviral treatment or human vaccine.

• The ministries recommend draining standing water sources, using mosquito repellent, installing screens, and wearing protective clothing outdoors after dark.
• The public is encouraged to report mosquito hazards to their local authority's 106 hotline to aid targeted control efforts.
• Prof. Sigal Sadetzki, head of the Health Ministry's Public Health Division, stressed the importance of awareness, noting that "Most cases are mild or produce no symptoms."
• Dr. Shai Reicher, director of the Environmental Protection Ministry's Pest Control Division, highlighted the public's role in limiting mosquito breeding by eliminating standing water.