Mosquito spraying to start in Greece due to West Nile threat

Deputy Health Minister Zeta Makri on Thursday gave the go-ahead to local authorities in Attica, Larissa in central Greece and eastern Macedonia in the north of the country to start spraying chemicals from the air to ward off mosquitoes which have appeared early this year following a mild winter.

Spending cuts had led to the annual spraying programs being scaled back but deaths linked to West Nile virus, which is carried by mosquitoes, have fueled concerns and prompted authorities to resume the spraying program as normal.