The Agriculture Ministry’s veterinary department has reported a rise in reports of wild birds, including crows, exhibiting strange behaviour. Upon investigation, the birds were found to be infected with West Nile fever, which they contracted from mosquito bites.
Several deaths of crows from complications of this disease have been recorded. The Ministry of Agriculture emphasizes that birds cannot transmit the disease; only mosquitoes carry the West Nile fever virus.
According to Israeli law, if a sick or dead animal is found, it must be reported to local authorities: municipal veterinarians examine the animal and test for contagious diseases. According to the rules, each case of a dead animal is entered into a special database so that if repeated deaths occur, specialists can track the outbreak and prevent its spread.
West Nile fever is transmitted by mosquitoes that carry the virus. The health ministry has previously reported a doubling of new cases in a week, with 300 new cases diagnosed last week and 15 deaths from complications of the disease since the outbreak began this year.
West Nile fever has long been known in Israel. The disease is caused by the bite of a mosquito infected with a specific virus. However, the disease is not transmitted from person to person.
Approximately 80% of those infected are asymptomatic, while 20% of those infected experience symptoms of varying severity, including fever, general malaise, headaches, and generalized body pain.
Neurological complications occur in less than 1% of those infected. The greatest risks are for the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. The Ministry of Health has published detailed information on West Nile fever, translated into Russian.
The Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Health have also issued a series of instructions for the population that can reduce the risk of West Nile fever infection. It is necessary to clean public sewers and also to dry up sources of stagnant water, which become a habitat for mosquitoes.
Remove, cover or turn over any containers that can collect water, such as old tires, buckets or barrels. Avoid allowing water to stagnate in flowerpots and planters, and drain or change the water in flower vases and pet waterers daily. Cover indoor swimming pools, and clean and drain rain gutters. Remove rags and old unused items that can collect water.
It is important to take measures against mosquito bites: apply insect repellents to the body, install mosquito repellent accessories in the rooms. Reduce the area of skin exposed to bites by wearing long, light-colored clothing. Turn on fans in the rooms and when you are outside. Install insect screens on windows and doorways.
The Ministry of Ecology also calls on people to contact local authorities where mosquito breeding hazards have been detected and inform them about sewer breaks, standing water and other hazards.