The first known case of Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE) in more than two decades was identified in Argentina in November, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday.
WEE is a rare, mosquito-borne disease that erupted in Argentina between November and December 2023, with more than 1,183 outbreaks reported thus far, WHO said in their health alert. Though this outbreak was initially thought to be equine-only, a human case was identified in late November, the first in more than two decades. The last reported cases of WEE occurred in 1982/1983, with one isolated case in 1996.
The patient presented with symptoms such as headache, dizziness, disorientation, sudden-onset fever and myalgia on Nov. 19. The patient received medical attention on Nov. 24, and spent 12 days in an intensive care unit on a ventilator. The patient spent the rest of November and most of December in the hospital, until they were eventually released on Dec. 20.
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International Health Regulations National Focal Point reportedly didn’t notify WHO of the case until the patient was discharged from the hospital. Argentina was told of the outbreak in November, with the nation’s Ministry of Health activating an epidemiological alert and starting surveillance to mitigate further spread. (RELATED: WHO Issues Global Alert Over ‘Unprecedented’ Rise In Highly Infectious, Potentially Deadly Disease)
Most people catch WEE through mosquito bites, but there are multiple other vectors, particularly birds, according to WHO. Those who work outdoors or close to animals capable of transmitting the virus are most at risk (duh).