Dutch West Nile cases rise to 72 after eight new infections

Eight more people in the Netherlands have been diagnosed with West Nile virus, bringing the confirmed total so far this year to 72, the Dutch public health institute RIVM says.

The latest cases were identified in the past week. No further deaths among people infected with the virus have been reported; ten infected people have died in the Netherlands this year, according to the ANP report carried by Nieuws.nl.

South Holland has recorded the most infections, with 41. Cases have also been identified in Utrecht, North Holland, North Brabant, Gelderland and Overijssel. Most diagnoses were made after patients were admitted to hospital with symptoms.

The new figures follow an earlier RIVM tally of 59 cases and ten deaths. That report said the deaths were among infected people; it did not establish that West Nile virus caused each death.

The virus circulates among birds and can be transmitted to people by mosquitoes. Most people have few or no noticeable symptoms, though some develop flu-like or more serious illness.