A 70-year-old man is receiving treatment in an intensive care unit after contracting West Nile virus in Cyprus, with his wife describing the sudden and severe onset of his symptoms.
Speaking to SigmaLive and “Tomes sta Gegonota”, his wife said he had been in good health before becoming seriously ill.
“I felt him shaking all over. I was talking to him, and he could not answer me. I thought he had suffered a stroke. But that was not the case,” she said.
She said doctors from the neurology department told the family that he had contracted West Nile virus.
“There was no antibiotic for them to give him,” she said.
The West Nile virus case comes as mosquito activity remains a concern in parts of Nicosia.
Wife raises concerns over mosquito control
The man’s wife also said she had been contacted by the Ministry of Health and told that spraying would be carried out in the area.
“They called me from the Ministry of Health and told me they would come to spray, and they still haven’t come,” she said.
She added that officials had asked whether there were trees or rivers near her home.
“We are covered in bites. For a healthy person to become like this from a mosquito?” she said.
According to the Ministry of Health, seven confirmed West Nile virus infections had been recorded in Cyprus by 3 September 2026, while three additional cases were under investigation at that time. Some patients who required hospitalisation had already been discharged.
Most infections cause no symptoms
The Ministry says most people infected with West Nile virus either have no symptoms or develop a mild illness. Older people, those with weakened immune systems and people with chronic underlying conditions face a higher risk of severe disease.
Mild symptoms can include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle and joint pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and rash. The illness usually resolves on its own.
In fewer than 1% of infected people, however, the virus can cause severe disease affecting the central nervous system, including meningitis, encephalitis or acute flaccid paralysis. Symptoms can include high fever, headache, neck stiffness, confusion, tremors, seizures, problems with balance or walking, visual disturbances and paralysis.
There is no specific treatment for West Nile virus infection. Severe cases may require hospitalisation and supportive treatment, including intensive care.
Ministry advises mosquito protection
West Nile virus is mainly transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is not normally transmitted through everyday contact between people.
Cyprus health authorities advise residents to reduce mosquito exposure and eliminate stagnant water around homes. Even small amounts of standing water can provide breeding sites, and authorities recommend regularly emptying containers, cleaning drains and gutters, covering water-storage containers and checking outdoor areas after rainfall.
The Health Ministry says surveillance and mosquito-control measures are continuing across Cyprus.
Also read: UK steps up pressure on Cyprus and Turkey over Ayia Napa murder case
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