A municipal worker sprays shrubbery in the seaside suburb of Glyfada in a bid to contain the spread of mosquitoes earlier this summer. [InTime News]
West Nile virus continues to spread in Greece, with health experts expecting infections to keep rising through at least the end of September.
The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes and can, in rare cases, cause serious neurological illness.
Cases of the virus have been confirmed in several parts of Attica, including Kifissia and, for the first time, the suburbs of Filothei and Psychiko. Local authorities have stepped up mosquito control measures, targeting parks, standing water, fountains and other potential breeding sites.
Crete also recorded its first case this year, involving a 75-year-old man who traveled from Athens to Ierapetra and developed symptoms during the trip. He was in stable condition while intubated in an intensive care unit in Iraklio.
