The West Nile virus death toll in Italy is worsening: four deaths have been confirmed since the beginning of the year, two of which were recorded today.
A 77-year-old businessman from the Frosinone area and an 80-year-old resident of Maddaloni, in the province of Caserta, died in two different hospitals.
The first death occurred at dawn at the Lazzaro Spallanzani National Institute for Infectious Diseases in Rome. The victim is Mario Tatangelo, 77, originally from Isola del Liri and the owner of a well-known fashion atelier. He had been hospitalized on July 26 with a high fever of up to 40°C, which had been present since July 20.
The diagnosis of West Nile virus infection was confirmed on July 28th through plasma and urine tests. Tatangelo, who received a heart transplant in 2014 and was treated at the San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, also suffered from chronic kidney failure. He had recently stayed in Baia Domizia, a seaside resort on the Caserta coast. He died this morning at 6:20 a.m.
A few hours later, at the “Sant'Anna e San Sebastiano” hospital in Caserta, another victim was recorded: an 80-year-old man Maddaloni, already suffering from numerous medical conditions. The man, a resident of the eastern part of the city, had been hospitalized during the night between Friday and Saturday in a state of confusion.
"He suffered from myasthenia gravis, a debilitating neurological disease, and was also a heart patient and diabetic," explained Dr. Loredana Tibullo, the hospital's head of internal medicine. His already severely compromised clinical condition did not withstand the worsening of his condition caused by the viral infection.
The elderly man from Maddaloni is the first official West Nile victim in Campania in 2025. In light of the case and the reported second case in Maddaloni, Mayor Andrea De Filippo signed an urgent ordinance for the immediate implementation of adulticidal and larvicidal disinfection measures throughout the municipality. The measure, the mayor emphasized, was also necessary due to "the inertia of the competent health authorities."
Meanwhile, the virus continues to spread. According to the Lazio Region, 16 new positive cases were recorded on Monday alone. This brings the total to 44 confirmed cases in 2025: 41 in the province of Latina—including the patient who died last week at the Fondi hospital—two in the province of Rome, and one outside the region, but with probable exposure to the virus, in the province of Caserta.
The health alert remains high, with regional and local authorities called to intensify prevention and control measures to prevent new infections. West Nile virus, transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes, can be particularly dangerous for the elderly and vulnerable, especially those with pre-existing conditions.
Article published by Rosaria Federico on July 28, 2025, at 20:30 PM
Comments (1)
The West Nile virus situation currently affecting Italy is extremely worrying. The deaths of elderly people demonstrate the seriousness of the situation and the need for urgent action to prevent further infections and safeguard public health.