Presence of West Nile Virus-Carrying Mosquitoes Discovered in Finland

Helsinki, June 29 – A new species of mosquito in Finland, Culex Modetus, known to spread West Nile virus, has been found near the city of Pori, according to the University of Helsinki.

The researchers are confident that the occurrence of the disease in Finland is highly unlikely.

“Culex Modetus, the 44th mosquito species found in Finland, is the northernmost observation point for this species in Europe. The closest observation points for the same species, but farther south, had previously been established in the Leningrad region in Russia and the Skåne region in Sweden “, – says the message.

The discovery was made by Lorna Calverwell, a researcher in the Department of Virology at the University of Helsinki.

In southern Europe, the Culex Modetus mosquito is known to transmit West Nile virus between birds and humans, and between birds and horses. West Nile virus usually causes a mild infection with symptoms such as fever, headache, and muscle aches. In rare cases, the virus can cause neurological symptoms, the report says.