West Nile Virus, Second Victim in Campania: It's the Entrepreneur Gabriele Punzo

Now the West Nile virus, transmitted by a particular type of mosquito, is also causing concern in Campania.

A second victim of this virus, originally identified in Uganda, has been recorded.

The victim is Gabriele Punzo, a 78 year old entrepreneur resident in Agropoli, but originally from Napoli, died yesterday at the San Luca hospital in Vallo della Lucania.

He had been hospitalized in the previous weeks for high fever and respiratory failure. Subsequently, his neurological conditions worsened, leading to his transfer to intensive care, where he died.

The first death occurred on September 4th following the worsening of a previous encephalitis.

This was the first diagnosed case of West Nile virus in Campania, with the patient hospitalized at the Ruggi hospital in Salerno.

In Salerno there are 4 more patients hospitalized

Currently, there are four other cases in the province of Salerno of people hospitalized in serious conditions due to the virus West NileThe patients include a 70-year-old from San Mango Piemonte, a 60-year-old from Rocca d'Aspro, another elderly man from Salerno and a middle-aged man from Pontecagnano, the latter having recently undergone transplant surgery.

Local authorities have scheduled extraordinary disinfestations to reduce the presence of mosquitoes. The latest operation took place last night in Campagna, in the south of the province of Salerno.

3 more people admitted to San Pio hospital in Benevento

However, there are fears that the emergency could also extend to Sannio, since three people have already been hospitalized at the San Pio hospital in Benevento with suspected West Nile virus infection.