Mosquito

The US Embassy in Athens has issued a health alert regarding the West Nile virus to American citizens living in Greece or intending to visit it.

The warning mentions that five people have already died in Greece after contracting the virus, all of them over the age of 70. This number does not take into account the six deaths this week, which brings the total to 11.

Another six municipalities in Attica were added to the areas that have reported cases of the West Nile virus.

Health authorities said on Wednesday that from May 31 until August 20 there have been cases reported in at least 39 municipalities, including Kallithea, Egaleo and Piraeus - compared to 10 last year.

Health officials in Greece have confirmed 17 new cases of West Nile virus this week, bringing this summer's total to 60 reported cases.

Three people, all over the age of 70, have died so far this week after being infected with the mosquito-borne virus, according to data released Thursday by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO).

Health officials have confirmed two West Nile virus-related deaths. Both victims were octogenarian residents of western Attica.

Since the start of the summer season, 55 cases of the mosquito-borne virus have been reported in Greece by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO).

The number of people in Greece believed to have contracted West Nile virus, which is carried by infected mosquitoes, has risen to 12, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) said on Wednesday in its weekly epidemiological data posted on its website.

A man wearing a protective suit and mask sprays over shallow water in the region of Argolida in the eastern Peloponnese on Wednesday, as part of the program launched by the Regional Authority of the Peloponnese to safeguard public health from the West Nile virus.

Satellites, drones and geographic information systems (GIS) are being deployed as part of an ambitious program to combat mosquitoes in regions of western and southwestern Greece.

The program's main goal is to safeguard public health from malaria and West Nile virus by monitoring mosquitoes and bird populations.

World Water Forum, the world's biggest water-related event organized by the World Water Council, opened in the Brazilian capital city of Brasilia on Monday.

The event was attended by Brazil President Michel Temer who advocated increased access to water and said his administration is preparing a new law to modernize the country's regulation of sanitation.

The Health Ministry has sent a circular to regional authorities across the country asking them to initiate their annual mosquito control programs, calling for particular attention to be paid in areas where there have been outbreaks of malaria and West Nile virus in previous years.

Counting mosquitoes on the Danube River is more expensive than ever - public procurement to develop a geographic system for insect monitoring has expanded to nearly 1.5 million leva.

According to local authorities, the mosquito counting system was not just for mosquito counting but for their registration. It would not cost 1 million leva but 1 million and 425 thousand leva.