One person has died and around 20 others are hospitalized after the West Nile virus, which is transmitted from mosquitoes to humans, was recorded in Armenia for the first time, reports the RFE/RL Armenian service.

According to the Armenian National Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the hospitalized are in moderate to severe condition, the youngest is 25 and the oldest—65. All of them have chronic and serious illnesses, and the deceased—who was over 60—also was in the risk group.

In its complicated phase, West Nile virus can cause up to inflammation of the meninges or brain, or both together: meningoencephalitis.

The spokesperson of the Ministry of Health of Armenia informed Armenian News-NEWS.am that the West Nile virus is not as fast-spreading as covid and measles and is rarely found in patients in the risk group, with serious chronic diseases, such as late stage cancer, serious cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.