An urgent warning has been issued to the public after a deadly and ‘body freezing’ virus was detected in mosquitoes in particular part of the world for the first time ever.
Experts are urging people to be careful as this disease has never been found before in mosquitos in the UK.
First discovered in Uganda in 1937, the West Nile virus is usually only found in South Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
However, this has all changed after it was recently detected in insects located in Nottinghamshire, England.
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So far, there haven’t been any cases of the virus being contracted in the UK but health officials are warning the public to be vigilant.
Virus experts are also calling for an ‘investment in long-term preparedness’ for possible outbreaks in the future.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said that risk to humans is ‘very low’ and the disease ‘does not spread easily between people’.
Symptoms of the virus include a headache, fever and spotty rash around the head, neck, fingers and toes.
Around one in five people who get the West Nile virus develop these side effects.
However, while it is very uncommon, there is a much more severe form of the virus known as West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND).
This can be deadly to contract and can lead to seizures, paralysis, coma, infection of the brain and encephalitis.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Dr Arran Folly, who is an arbovirologist at the UK Government’s Animal and Plant Health Agency said: “The detection of West Nile virus in the UK is part of a wider changing landscape, where, in the wake of climate change, mosquito-borne diseases are expanding to new areas.
“Only through continued surveillance can we assess the risk to animal and public health.”
The disease has been in the US for a long time, with around 2,000 Americans falling ill due to it every year.
Of the 2,000 infected, around 120 die from the virus.
Now, health officials are advising the public to be careful in order to protect themselves from West Nile Virus.
This includes making sure to cover up as much skin as possible by wearing long sleeved shirts and pants as well as spraying insect repellent on any exposed skin.
People are also being advised to remove any standing water that may be near their home as this can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.