The Junta of Andalusia has confirmed a human case of West Nile Fever in the Urbanisation La Herradera and has declared 'Alert Area' for the entire municipality until October 22. The Utrera City Council is intensifying larval treatments within a radius of 1.5 kilometres.
The Utrera City Council has activated the surveillance and vector control protocol after the Junta of Andalusia communicated on September 21, 2026 the confirmation of a positive human case of West Nile Fever in a resident of the Urbanisation La Herradera.
The communication includes the declaration of “Alert Area” for the entire municipal term until October 22, as reported by the council. This is a precautionary measure that activates the health protocol established for such cases.
The Municipal Delegate for Public Health, Consuelo Navarro, along with a Public Health officer from the Southern Health Management Area of Seville, technical staff from the Seville Provincial Council, and personnel from the company awarded the municipal mosquito control service, as well as the municipal health inspection service, visited the marked area.
The on-ground work consists of reinforcing the surveillance and control of larvae within a radius of 1.5 kilometres around the detected hotspots. Leaflets and posters were also distributed to raise community awareness, following the guidelines of the Health Department of the Junta of Andalusia.
“This is a precautionary measure that activates the surveillance protocol, while we intensify treatments and control of larvae within a radius of 1.5 kilometres around the detected hotspots,” explains the health delegate.
The Municipal Vector Surveillance and Control Plan will continue to operate at full capacity over the next month, according to municipal sources, who stress the importance of maintaining self-protection measures and avoiding breeding sites on private properties.
The delegate reminds that prevention is the most effective tool. “It is very important for everyone to adopt habits that are not difficult to maintain and that largely prevent us from having problems, especially at dusk and dawn,” Navarro points out.
Among the basic recommendations is the use of approved topical mosquito repellent. In patios, plots, and gardens, authorities ask for regular checks of areas where water may accumulate.
Thus, pool water should be treated with chlorine year-round, even in ponds and water features; pet water and bird baths should be changed daily; and roof gutters should be cleaned to prevent rainwater from pooling.
It is also advisable to move the water in drains at least once a week by pouring a bucket, to remove buckets or items that collect puddles, and to renew the water in plant saucers every 2 or 3 days. Wells and cisterns should be covered with fine mesh, and it is necessary to keep the ground free of weeds and reeds, where adult mosquitoes take refuge.
The Utrera City Council reminds that hygienic and sanitary conditions must be maintained throughout the year in rural plots and chalets. The alert will remain active until October 22, when the situation is expected to be reviewed.
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