Two Fatal West Nile Cases Reported in Flanders Amid Rising Infections

According to the Flemish Health Department, two people belonging to a high-risk category have died from West Nile virus, increasing the region's confirmed cases to 14. Anneleen De Sadeleer of the Department of Care explained that health authorities had been aware of the virus circulating locally for several months and that roughly one percent of those infected may develop serious illness. While the majority of infections are mild or asymptomatic and therefore go unreported, older adults and individuals with compromised immune systems face higher danger.

The department urges the public to keep protecting themselves from mosquito bites, noting that the mosquito season typically concludes in late October. Despite the fatalities, officials stress that the overall risk of severe disease remains low for most people.