West Nile virus: First death in Campania and second in Lazio

There are 16 new positive cases linked to West Nile virus in Lazio, where a second death has also been recorded, a 77-year-old man from the province of Latina, with underlying health conditions, who had recently been staying in Baia Domizia, in the province of Caserta. The Lazio Region bulletin reports this, emphasizing that "with these latest tests and the two deaths, the number of confirmed positive West Nile virus infections in 2025 has risen to 44, recorded in the province of Latina (41 total cases, including the patient who died last week at Fondi hospital) and in the province of Rome (2 cases), and 1 outside the region with probable exposure in the province of Caserta."

"Of the 44 confirmed cases of West Nile virus," the statement adds, "18 patients are currently hospitalized in ordinary wards for other conditions; 3 have been discharged; 19 are being treated at home; 2 patients are in intensive care; and 2 have died."

"In the province of Latina, the municipalities with presumed exposure to West Nile are Aprilia, Cisterna di Latina, Fondi, Latina, Pontinia, Priverno, Sezze, and Sabaudia. In the province of Rome, the municipalities with presumed exposure are Anzio and Nettuno," the Lazio Region continues in its bulletin.

An 80-year-old man is the first victim of West Nile in Campania. The man, originally from Maddaloni, also had serious underlying conditions and had been hospitalized in the emergency department of Caserta Hospital since Friday. Another elderly man, also from Maddaloni, is also hospitalized at Caserta's Sant'Anna and San Sebastiano Hospital for the same type of infection. The mayor of the Caserta municipality, Andrea De Filippo, spoke of two "elderly, frail individuals, both from the eastern area of Maddaloni," assuring that he had issued a special ordinance implementing the directives issued by the health authorities, but also, "in the face of the inertia of the competent health authorities, that he had ordered extensive and repeated disinfection interventions to kill adults and kill larvicidal organisms throughout the area."

"The situation," the mayor emphasized, "is under control, and there are no grounds for widespread and unjustified alarm. We will continue to monitor the situation and update you on any developments. However, we believe that adopting normal preventive measures may be sufficient to prevent a recurrence of the infection, as reported by health authorities."