There are no recorded cases of Western equine encephalitis virus being imported into Russia. This was reported by the press service of Rospotrebnadzor.
“There are no registered cases of the import of the Western equine encephalitis virus into the Russian Federation… Rospotrebnadzor experts are monitoring the situation at checkpoints at the state border,” the ministry said.
The disease in humans with western equine encephalitis was previously recorded in Argentina. A total of 12 such cases were recorded.
This is a rare disease caused by a virus spread through mosquito bites. It is mostly transmitted to humans, but it can also be transmitted from animals to humans.
This was the first confirmed human case of this infection in the last three decades. Previously, cases of equine WEE were also described in Argentina in 1982–1983, and a single case of human infection was reported in 1996.
Former infectious diseases specialist saidHow to protect yourself from tick-borne encephalitis?
Previously in Russia demand increased for vaccines against encephalitis.