West Nile spike puts Alpine towns on mosquito alert

Italy is seeing a spike in West Nile virus infections at the end of August, according to The Local Italy, which has published a guide to the disease and how to protect against it as case numbers rise across the country.

The outbreak has centred on the Po Valley and northern regions, where warm, humid conditions have proven favourable to the Culex mosquitoes that carry the virus. Health authorities are urging residents and visitors to use repellent and eliminate standing water, the outlet reported.

For towns in the Alpine arc, the news is a reminder that climate change is redrawing the map of vector-borne disease. Warmer summers and milder winters are allowing mosquitoes to survive at higher altitudes and for longer seasons than in the past.