A person has tested positive for West Nile virus and is being treated in the ICU at Nicosia general hospital, the health ministry confirmed on Thursday.

The ministry stated it had been informed of the patient’s condition, though further details regarding age or circumstances were not disclosed.

West Nile virus is transmitted primarily through the bite of infected mosquitoes, which contract the virus after feeding on infected birds.

It is not passed between people through casual social or sexual contact, nor from hospitalised patients to healthcare staff.

The incubation period following a mosquito bite typically ranges between two and fourteen days.

According to the health ministry, sporadic cases are recorded in Cyprus at intervals, mainly during the summer months.

Most infections cause no symptoms or only mild illness.

Fewer than one per cent of those infected develop serious complications affecting the nervous system, including encephalitis, meningitis or paralysis.

People over 50, along with those who are immunosuppressed or living with chronic underlying conditions, face a higher risk of severe illness.

In rare cases, transmission can also occur through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breastfeeding or from mother to foetus during pregnancy.

The ministry has urged the public to adopt protective measures, including wearing long sleeves and trousers during evening and night hours, using approved insect repellents, fitting screens on windows and doors and removing stagnant water from gardens and outdoor containers.