Expert urges calm over mosquito disease found in UK
A virologist has said mosquito-borne diseases are "likely" to increase in range after West Nile virus was detected in the UK for the first time.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said fragments of the virus - which can sometimes make people seriously ill - had been found in wetland in Retford, Nottinghamshire.
Prof Jonathan Ball, director of the Centre for Global Virus Research at the University of Nottingham said climate change meant tropical viral diseases would become more established further north.
This summer, Gamston in Retford will be among a number of locations to undergo mosquito surveillance as part of a national project to understand mosquito activity across Britain.
The West Nile virus has two hosts, Prof Ball said, birds and mosquitoes.
"Occasionally, that virus can pass on to humans and cause disease," he said.
"About two in 10 people who are infected can show signs of disease, which is fever, those kinds of things.
"But occasionally, about one in 150 people who become infected can show more severe disease."
There have been no human cases of locally-acquired West Nile Virus in the UK to date.
Prof Ball said the discovery of West Nile in Nottinghamshire was not something the general public needed to be "too concerned" about.
"It is something we need to be aware of - it's likely that these are going to increase in range," he said.
"It's just a general trend that lots of these viruses – knows as flaviviruses – these are viruses that circulate in mosquitoes and they're general around the tropics.
"But because of global warming they're increasing their range northwards and it does mean there is a risk that we're going to see some of these tropical viral diseases become established further and further north."
He added the best way to avoid the virus was to "avoid being bitten" by covering up and using insecticide.
The project in Gamston will see the UK Health Security Agency work with Bassetlaw District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council to increase surveillance on land along the River Idle.
Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.
West Nile virus detected in UK mosquitoes for first time
UK Health Security Agency
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Bloomberg
ADHD Feels Like It's Everywhere? Researchers See No Upswell
ADHD may seem like it's everywhere at the moment, but researchers found its prevalence hasn't changed much in recent years. A review by King's College London 's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience found that the proportion of people with a medical diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder didn't increase meaningfully between 2020 and 2024. The findings published Thursday are based on four studies only, due to the poor quality of most of the others reviewed by the researchers.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Belfast Hills project helping young people with anxiety
A teenager has described how getting into nature with a Belfast Hills project is helping with managing anxiety. It comes as more than a quarter of parents or guardians across the UK have said their child has struggled with anxiety, with access to nature and green spaces hoped to help. In a survey of more than 2,000 parents of children aged four to 17, conducted by Ipsos for the National Lottery Heritage Fund, over a quarter (30%) said their child struggled with anxiety or panic attacks in the past 12 months. Just under a quarter (23%) said their child struggled with stress and 18% said their child dealt with low self-esteem, while 22% of parents with a child as young as seven say their child struggled with anxiety over the past 12 months. Just over a third of parents said spending more time in nature would help their child's mental health, and more than a quarter (28%) felt being able to access green spaces, such as parks, would also help. In the Ipsos UK-wide survey, parents said their child seemed worried about a range of issues in the last year, the top three being judged by others (27%), body image (21%) and safety (18%). Just under one in 10 (9%) mentioned climate change. The findings were released on World Environment Day by The National Lottery Community Fund, which wants to encourage as many people as possible to get involved in projects linked to nature and green spaces. In the last year, The National Lottery Community Fund has supported more than 50 environmental projects in Northern Ireland to protect and restore nature, encourage recycling and save energy, thanks to over £2 million of funding generated by National Lottery players. It is offering millions of pounds of funding over the next 10 years to projects and charities across the UK specifically focused on restoring and regenerating nature. People across Northern Ireland can apply for National Lottery Awards for All grants of between £300 and £20,000 for environmental projects, through The National Lottery Community Fund's website. Belfast Hills Partnership is one of the projects in Northern Ireland that is supporting the mental health of young people, including 19-year-old Kai who has found getting out in nature life-changing. Kai is taking part in the National Lottery funded Trainee Ranger scheme at Belfast Hills Partnership. 'Growing up, my experience of being in a green space was in a football pitch. I didn't know the whole world of foraging and conservation existed. When having a rough time, I gave Belfast Hills Partnership's yearlong Trainee Ranger scheme a go,' he said. 'I got to explore different parks and forests and learnt loads of new skills, like foraging for food and then cooking it outside, hiking in the Belfast hills and protecting animals and local habitats. We had full days of learning about bats and types of birds, which I was really interested in. 'The positive effect on my mental health was instant. Being out in the fresh air and having a purpose really changed my life. Meeting like-minded people my age and having something practical to look forward to, helped me start a better path, one I never dreamed I'd be on. 'I got my strimming licence through the project, and I'm now working as a gardener, as well as being a Volunteer Ranger for Colin Glen Forest Park. My days are all about being in nature and I love it.' John Rose, environment lead at The National Lottery Community Fund, said mental health is a complex area. 'While there is no one single solution, parents are telling us that access to green spaces and nature could play a part in helping their child's mental health and we know this is backed up by other research,' he said. 'At The National Lottery Community Fund, we know people are increasingly concerned about the environment but we can empower them to take action to improve it as we provide funding, from £300 for small grassroot organisations to hundreds of thousands of pounds for more established organisations.' He added: 'If you have an idea for a project that will restore or improve your local environment, whether that's a tree-planting project, a community garden or a recycling scheme we're urging you to get in touch and apply for a grant at
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kern Public Health names June ‘Vector-borne Disease Month'
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — As we head into the summer season, the heat isn't the only issue that Kern County has to deal with. On Wednesday morning, Kern County Public Health launched June as 'Vector-Borne Disease Month,' part of their year-long disease fighters initiative. The health department joined Kern Mosquito and Vector Control District for an open house to discuss awareness and prevention. Mosquitoes can transmit diseases like 'West Nile virus' and 'St. Louis Encephalitis'. Woman arrested after multi-agency pursuit ends with car in orchard Health officials want to remind the public that preventing mosquitoes from breeding and avoiding mosquito bites are the best ways to avoid getting these diseases. 'They can start right at their homes, they can do weekly walkarounds around their yards…make sure there's no standing water,' said Jay Thao, District Manager with Delano Mosquito Abatement District. 'Mosquitos breed in standing water. So any man-made container that can hold water for a week can produce mosquitos. People can just check their yards and tip and toss any standing water.' Although most residents who contract these diseases will show no serious symptoms, a small portion of people can experience serious health complications. You can learn more at the health department's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
