ROME, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Cases of West Nile virus in Italy more than doubled last week, with at least seven people left dead by the mosquito-borne malady, Italy's High Institute of Health (ISS) reported Thursday.
As of Thursday, the number of reported cases of West Nile virus had climbed to 94 since the start of June, up from 42 a week earlier, said the ISS. Of the 94 total cases, more than half or 55 are the more dangerous neuro-invasive form of the virus.
Five of the seven reported deaths related to the outbreak in Italy were from the northeastern Italian region of Veneto, with one from northwestern Piedmont and one from the central region of Emilia-Romagna.
So far there is no vaccine for the disease, though vaccine research is being carried out. The ISS on Thursday recommended those in high-risk areas avoid exposure to mosquitoes, either by using insect repellent or clothing that covers the skin, and that areas where the pests can easily reproduce, such as areas with standing water accumulations, be eliminated or avoided.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), symptoms of West Nile fever, which is caused by the virus, can include headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness, and paralysis. The disease is usually not fatal, but it can be in some cases, especially among the elderly and infirmed.
