The Diputación de Sevilla and the Ayuntamiento de Palomares del Río have intensified mosquito control efforts since Monday following the confirmation of the first human case of the Nile virus in Andalusia this year. A resident of Seville, who is believed to have been bitten in this municipality, is recovering well.
The first human case of the Nile virus in Andalusia in 2026 has raised alarms in Palomares del Río. The affected individual is a woman living in the capital of Seville who, according to initial investigations, is thought to have been bitten by the carrier mosquito during a stay in this municipality of Aljarafe. Fortunately, the patient is recovering favourably, as confirmed by health sources.
The president of the Diputación de Sevilla, Javier Fernández, wanted to send a message of reassurance to the public. “We are making a tremendous effort, putting all necessary human, technical, and economic resources to tackle the risk,” he assured during the signing of a social concert agreement in the capital of Seville. Fernández reminded that “CSIC experts had already warned that this was a particularly complicated year” for the spread of the virus.
Immediate measures in the declared 'Alert Area'
The Ayuntamiento of Palomares del Río, after being officially declared an “Alert Area” for four weeks, has launched an emergency plan. Among the first actions, the local Health Centre has been instructed to detect possible mild cases early. Additionally, preventive treatments in drains have been increased, and potential adult mosquito habitats within the urban area are being monitored.
The Council reminds that treatments have been carried out in critical points since the beginning of the year, but now the frequency and intensity have doubled. The aim is to reduce the population of the Culex mosquito, the main transmitter of the virus, in areas with a high concentration of residents.
Recommendations for residents: avoid stagnant water
The Ayuntamiento has requested citizen cooperation to halt the spread of the virus. The measures are simple but crucial: avoid any accumulation of stagnant water in gardens, terraces, or patios. This includes emptying buckets, wheelbarrows, watering cans, and sealing tanks, cisterns, and barrels tightly. Regular cleaning of pools, ponds, fountains, and basins is also recommended.
During peak mosquito activity times, at dawn and dusk, the use of specific repellents and clothing that covers most of the body is advised. “There is no such thing as zero risk,” warned Javier Fernández, who urged following the instructions from both the Diputación and the Junta de Andalucía, the health authority in this case.
The Diputación de Sevilla has invested nearly three million euros in prevention technologies in recent years, a figure that Fernández considers necessary for a public health issue that, affecting several provinces, should have a regional approach. “This is a matter that needs to be situated within the regional scope,” he emphasised.
For the residents of Palomares del Río and the rest of Aljarafe, the recommendation is clear: exercise extreme caution in the coming weeks and collaborate with the authorities to prevent the Nile virus from becoming a recurring problem. The alert will remain active for a month, during which the evolution of the situation will be evaluated.
You may also like
