An 89-year-old man from Guadalema de los Quintero, an outlying district of Utrera in Spain’s Seville province, has died after developing meningoencephalitis caused by West Nile virus, becoming the second person to die from the infection in Andalusia this season.

The man had been receiving treatment at Virgen del Rocío Hospital in Seville since Monday. His death comes as health authorities continue to monitor an increase in West Nile virus infections across the region.

Andalusia has now recorded 54 human cases of West Nile fever this season. Of these, 37 have been classified as mild, while 17 involved severe illness. Four patients remain in hospital, while the others have recovered or are recovering.

The first death linked to the virus this season was recorded on August 5. The victim was an 82-year-old resident of Dos Hermanas who also had underlying health conditions.

Seville remains at centre of outbreak

The Andalusian regional government has placed 27 municipalities, one district and one outlying settlement under health alerts following the detection of human infections or evidence that the virus is circulating among mosquitoes, birds or horses.

Most of the affected locations are in Seville province. They include Seville city, Dos Hermanas, Coria del Río, La Puebla del Río, Los Palacios y Villafranca and Guadalema de los Quintero.

Recent surveillance has also found large numbers of female mosquitoes capable of transmitting West Nile virus in several municipalities, including La Puebla del Río, Los Palacios y Villafranca, Isla Mayor and Villamanrique de la Condesa.

Authorities are continuing mosquito monitoring and other measures to limit the spread of the infection, particularly in areas where virus activity has been detected.

What is West Nile virus?

West Nile virus is mainly transmitted to people through bites from infected mosquitoes. Birds play an important role in maintaining the virus in nature, while mosquitoes can transmit it to humans and other animals.

The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1937 and later spread to other parts of the world. Warmer temperatures have contributed to conditions that can allow mosquitoes to remain active for longer periods, increasing opportunities for transmission.

Most people infected with West Nile virus do not develop symptoms. Those who become ill commonly experience fever, headache, muscle or joint pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or skin rashes.

In a small proportion of infections, the virus can cause serious neurological complications, including encephalitis and meningitis. Older adults and people with certain chronic health conditions face a greater risk of severe disease.

The latest death has renewed attention on the risks posed by the virus as Andalusian authorities continue monitoring affected communities and mosquito populations.

People whose parents live to 100 or older may have a lower risk of death and several major age-related health problems, according to a new study examining the health of children of centenarians.

Researchers in the United States analysed data from three long-running studies conducted in the US and UK, involving more than 4,000 participants. They compared people who had at least one parent reach the age of 100 with those whose parents had shorter lifespans.

In one of the main combined analyses, the children of centenarians had a 42% lower risk of death, a 33% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 32% lower risk of developing high blood pressure.

The researchers also found that death occurred about three years later on average among the offspring of centenarians. The development of hypertension was delayed by around five years.

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, it accounted for 42.5% of deaths in its European Region in 2019. High blood pressure is considered the leading risk factor for cardiovascular disease in Europe and contributed to 24% of cardiovascular deaths that year.

The researchers found less consistent results for other conditions. Stroke risk was lower among the children of centenarians in two of the three study groups, while there was no significant difference in cancer risk.

The findings remained broadly consistent after researchers accounted for factors such as smoking and education. In studies where additional information was available, they also considered diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption and socioeconomic circumstances.

The results suggest that lifestyle differences may not fully explain why the children of exceptionally long-lived parents appear to experience certain health benefits.

Centenarians are known to develop many age-related illnesses later in life than the general population. Their children may therefore provide an important group for researchers seeking to understand why some people remain healthy for longer.

Scientists say studying these families could help identify genetic and environmental factors associated with longer periods of healthy living. Such research could eventually improve understanding of how ageing affects the risk of chronic diseases.

However, the study does not establish that having a centenarian parent directly causes better health outcomes. The researchers also noted several limitations.

Some health and lifestyle information was based on participants’ own reports, which can introduce inaccuracies. In addition, most participants were white, meaning the findings may not apply equally to other populations.

The researchers said further studies involving more diverse groups will be needed to determine which biological, environmental and behavioural factors are responsible for the apparent health advantages seen among the children of centenarians.

West Nile virus infections in Greece have increased sharply, with 75 new locally acquired cases reported in one week, bringing the total number of infections recorded during the 2026 transmission season to 232.

The latest figures from the National Public Health Organisation (EODY) show that 165 patients developed neurological complications affecting the central nervous system. These included conditions such as encephalitis, meningitis and acute flaccid paralysis.

Another 67 patients experienced milder illness or had no neurological symptoms. As of August 26, Greece had recorded 19 deaths linked to the virus. All of those who died were aged over 65.

Hospitals are also dealing with a significant number of patients. EODY reported that 73 people were receiving hospital treatment, including 26 in intensive care units and one in a high-dependency unit. A total of 124 patients have been discharged.

Attica sees major increase

The Attica region has emerged as the main centre of the outbreak, with authorities reporting particularly intense virus circulation compared with previous years.

Cases have been identified across 61 municipalities, 18 regional units and five regions: Attica, Thessaly, Central Macedonia, the Peloponnese and Central Greece.

Eastern Attica has been among the hardest-hit areas. Spata-Artemida has recorded 17 cases, including 15 involving the central nervous system. Markopoulo Mesogaias has reported 13 cases, while infections have also been detected in Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni, Agia Paraskevi, Pallini and Halandri.

Thessaly has also experienced substantial transmission. Larissa has recorded 21 cases, with additional infections reported in Karditsa, Palamas, Sofades, Kileler, Tempi, Tyrnavos and Farsala.

Central Macedonia has reported infections in several areas, including parts of Imathia, Thessaloniki, Pella, Pieria and Serres.

Authorities identify new risk areas

EODY has designated several additional municipalities as high-risk areas based on epidemiological and geographical factors, even though no human cases had been identified there at the time of assessment.

The areas include Heraklion of Attica, Nea Smyrni, Nea Filadelfia-Nea Chalkidona, Dafni-Ymittos, Amfipoli and Thasos.

Authorities have also detected signs of virus circulation among horses and other equidae. Recent infections were found in nine clusters across Eastern Attica, Western Athens, Drama, Preveza and the Thessaloniki metropolitan area.

EODY expects more cases to be identified in the coming weeks, both in areas already affected and in new locations. It also warned that recent figures could rise as diagnoses and official notifications can occur several days after symptoms begin.

The surge has placed Greece on heightened alert as health authorities continue monitoring the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.