Authorities are struggling to contain the infection with three areas already testing positive for the virus - Jesolo, Caorle and Ceggia. All three had already been decontaminated, meaning the outbreaks are moving faster than tests and disinfestations. A 77-year-old man died yesterday after he contracted an infected mosquito bite in Cento, near Bologna in northern Italy. He had originally been admitted to hospital for a fall on Tuesday, July 24, but his condition deteriorated and he was transferred to a specialist hospital 60 miles away in Cona, where he was diagnosed with West Nile meningoencephalitis.

The West Nile virus has no symptoms in 75 percent of cases. But those who do show signs suffer flu-like symptoms, with a fever, headache, vomiting and a rash. In the worst of cases, the virus can develop into meningitis or encephalitis causes seizures and confusion. If the infection reaches the nervous system, it can cause death in 10 percent of cases. The twelfth person to be infected by the virus, in the eastern Veneto region, saw small bubbles erupt all over her body, as well as a headache and joint pains, two days ago.

The mayor of Fossalta di Piave, in the Venice area, has ordered a “massive disinfestation” throughout the area, after the 53-year-old woman tested positive for the infection. The woman managed to stop the infection becoming any more dangerous by spotting symptoms early. Pier Giorgio Scotton said: "She went to the doctor and said, ‘Could it be the West Nile?’ And she was immediately tested. Their suspicion was founded.” She was taken to hospital immediately, where she is now out of danger and recovering. Mr Scotton said: “She was always lucid and present. She will still need a few days to say that the most difficult phase is over.” It is not known where the infected mosquito was as the woman had travelled in the Jesolo and Eraclea areas. It is also difficult to identify where infected mosquitos are as incubation periods can vary from person to person from two days to two weeks. And mosquitos travel between towns within just a few hours. </s> SANILAC COUNTY, Mich. - Health officials have confirmed the first human infection of West Nile virus for the state of Michigan in 2018.

A blood donor in Sanilac County tested positive for the virus, health officials said.

The person is not reporting any illnesses. Most people who become infected do not develop symptoms.

Health officials said the confirmed case of West Nile virus is a reminder for all residents to use protection against mosquito bites throughout the summer and into the fall. </s> Authorities have issued health alert after 150 cases of pneumonia were recorded in a week, mainly in towns near the northern Italian city of Brescia.

Suspecting the presence of a pneumonia-causing virus in the water supply, they have taken samples from the distribution network for analysis. Results are expected in several days.

Autopsies will be conducted on a 69-year-old woman and an 85-year-old man who died this week to determine whether they died from pneumonia, according to local media reports.

Pneumonia is usually caused when bacteria, viruses or fungi infect the lungs. It can be life-threatening, especially among the elderly and those with serious health conditions.

Provincial health services have called on residents to take precautions, including disinfecting tap filters and shower hoses and to let hot water run for a period of time with the windows open before using it.

Hospital emergencies in several municipalities to the south and east of Brescia identified 121 cases of pneumonia, the health officer in the Lombardy region Giulio Galera said on television.

A survey of general practitioners found at least 30 other people had been affected. </s> The death toll from violent rainstorms battering Italy has risen to nine, officials said Tuesday.

Most of the country’s northern region remains under a red alert after catastrophic rains and severe winds pounded much of the country, resulting in downed trees, tidal flooding, and thousands left without power.

Venice has been inundated by floodwaters — the worst seen in the Italian city for at least a decade.

On Monday, the water rose to more than five feet above sea level at high tide, bringing three-quarters of the canal city under water.

“The exceptional wave of bad weather leaves us with a dramatic toll: nine dead, four serious injuries and one person missing,” said Italy’s Interior Minister Matteo Salvini.

The national fire brigade said it had intervened in 7,000 cases across the country and that one of its members died after being crushed by a tree during a rescue operation in a small town in the northeast Italian province of South Tyrol.

Authorities said Tuesday that a woman died in the north region of Trentino when her home was overcome by a mudslide and that a man was killed by a falling tree in the northeastern region of Veneto.

Two young people died in the south of Rome when a tree hit their car, and another person was killed in the nearby town of Terracina as winds brought down throngs of pine trees, according to CNN.

Among the victims, according to the news outlet, was a 21-year-old man who was struck by a falling tree while walking in Naples and a woman who died after being hit by debris blown off a building in the northern region of Liguria.

A man was also killed Monday while kite-surfing near the town of Cattolica on the Adriatic coast.

According to Italian media, nearly 200 people, tourists and hotel staff were stranded by heavy snowfall at Stelvio Pass, a mountain pass in northern Italy bordering Switzerland.

The weather was expected to improve Tuesday, “giving the country a truce,” according to an official from Italy’s Civil Protection Service.

Meanwhile, heavy snowfall in France has caused travel chaos and left hundreds of motorists stranded as winter arrived early on Monday.

Nearly 200,000 homes remained without power across the country Tuesday after snowstorms struck central regions Monday evening. </s> West Nile is a virus that’s typically spread by infected mosquitoes. Though side effects of the virus can be severe, most people who are infected experience little to no symptoms and fully recover.

Here are three things to know about the West Nile virus, which was first reported in the U.S. in 1999.

How does it spread?

Mosquitoes are largely to blame for spreading West Nile virus.

It all starts when “mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds. Infected mosquitoes then spread West Nile virus to people and other animals by biting them,” according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

West Nile does not spread through coughing and sneezing or touching a live animal that’s infected with the virus.

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What are the symptoms?

Most people who are infected do not experience symptoms, the CDC warns. However, a small percentage of people — roughly 1 in 5 — develop a fever and may additionally experience headaches, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or a rash, among other signs of the virus.

Even rarer, about 1 in 150 people who are infected with West Nile virus can develop a serious illness — such as inflammation of the spinal cord or brain — the CDC said.

There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment to treat or prevent the virus, according to the CDC. Rather, those who are infected can take over the counter pain and fever reducers to alleviate symptoms.

Fortunately, most people who are infected recover completely.



However, in severe cases, “patients often need to be hospitalized to receive supportive treatment, such as intravenous fluids, pain medication, and nursing care,” according to the CDC.

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The Mayo Clinic warns people who are older, as well as those with pre-existing medical conditions, are more susceptible to the virus.

“Cancer, diabetes, hypertension and kidney disease, increase your risk. So does receiving an organ transplant,” according to the CDC, which also noted the risk can be lessened by wearing long sleeves and pants, using insect repellent and keeping screens on windows and doors. </s> Nine people have died after a rain-swollen river flooded a home in the countryside near Palermo, Sicily, Italian state radio said.

Nine people have died after a rain-swollen river flooded a home in the countryside near Palermo, Sicily, Italian state radio said.

Heavy rains have lashed Sicily, a southern Italian island, several days after storms ravaged much of northern Italy.

State radio said one person survived the flood late on Saturday night by clinging to a tree. Reports added that the victims were from two families who were spending the weekend together.

The Italian news agency Ansa said two people were missing on Sunday in other incidents near Sicily after floodwaters swept away their cars, including that of a doctor heading to a Corleone hospital.

Italy’s earlier storms in the north killed at least 15 people, flattened or uprooted millions of trees near Alpine valleys and left several villages without electricity or road access for days. </s> Ten people, including a family of nine, have died in floods around Palermo on the southern Italian island of Sicily, rescue services said on Sunday as fierce storms continue to exact a deadly toll.

They said the bodies of the family, including children aged 1, 3 and 15, were found in their house in Casteldaccia next to a small river which had burst its banks.

Three other members of the same family were able to escape, according to the Agi news agency.

Separately, a man was found dead in his car while two other people are missing.

Earlier this week in Sicily, floods closed many roads and mayors ordered schools, public parks and underpasses shut.

Italy, especially in the north and around Venice, has been hit by a series of strong storms which have claimed at least 20 lives and caused massive damage and disruption.

Trees covering the mountains in the Dolomites range were reduced to matchsticks, flattened by winds that tore through the Veneto region on Thursday.

"It's like after an earthquake," Veneto governor Luca Zaia said. "Thousands of hectares of forest were razed to the ground, as if by a giant electric saw."

Italy's civil protection agency described the weather lashing the country this week as "one of the most complex meteorological situations of the past 50 to 60 years".



KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter. </s> Torrential rain in Italy has triggered flooding that killed at least five people in the Tuscan port town of Livorno.

Italian state television said four of the victims were family members whose bodies were found in their flooded basement on Sunday.

Some Italian media reports put the death toll at six.

Mayor Filippo Nogarin said he could not confirm the number, but added that casualties could increase because several people were missing. </s> ROME (AFP) - Ten people, including a family of nine, have died in floods around Palermo, on the southern Italian island of Sicily, rescue services said on Sunday (Nov 4).

They said the bodies of the family, including children aged one, three and 15, were found in their house in Casteldaccia next to a small river which had burst its banks.

A man was found separately in his car, while two other people are missing, they said, as Italy grapples with fierce storms which have already claimed at least 20 lives this week.
A man died and 12 others were hospitalized when the West Nile virus spread across Italy.