ROME: An 82-year-old woman has died in Italy after being infected with the mosquito-borne West Nile virus (WNV), German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
Authorities said on Sunday that the pensioner, who was based in the municipality of Nerola, north of Rome, was hospitalised last week after suffering a fever.
Six other WNV cases have been confirmed in the Rome region, according to official figures.
Two patients aged 63 and 72 have been hospitalised and are in critical condition.
Authorities have set up a task force to deal with the outbreak.
More severe and fatal cases of West Nile virus are usually seen in older people with pre-existing conditions.
Only around one per cent of infections lead to severe neuroinvasive diseases.
The number of unreported WNV cases tends to be very high, as infections are asymptomatic in around 80 per cent of cases.
The virus was first detected in Africa and was probably introduced to Europe via migratory birds.
Mosquitoes infected by birds can transmit the virus to humans and other mammals. – BERNAMA-dpa
