Sanquin blood bank will test donated blood in a number of regions in the Netherlands for the presence of the West Nile virus. This concerns donated blood from blood banks in Utrecht, the Gooi and the east of South Holland. Yesterday it was announced in the Netherlands someone has become infected for the first time with the West Nile virus, probably in the Utrecht region.
Because the West Nile virus is transmitted via blood, it is important for Sanquin to further investigate the blood donations in that area. “There is a good chance that more people are infected,” said spokesman Marloes Metaal. “You can assume that about a hundred people contracted the virus in one infected person.”
Not everyone is a blood donor, so the chance that blood banks have received infected blood is small. “But we are responsible for safe blood,” said Metaal.
Vulnerable people
Most people do not get sick from the West Nile virus. About 80 percent have no problems at all, the other 20 percent have mild symptoms such as fever and flu symptoms.
Sanquin emphasizes that vulnerable people can become seriously ill. And that is the target audience of most blood transfusions.
Birds
As soon as people in other regions of the Netherlands are also found to be infected with the West Nile virus, Sanquin will also investigate donated blood there. That is European policy, says Metaal. “You will only test the blood when there is a human infection. There are also many regions with only infected birds.”
West Nile virus occurs in birds but can be transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. This mainly happens in the summer. The RIVM said yesterday that the chance of contracting the virus is minimal at the moment, due to the turn of the weather in recent weeks and the end of the mosquito season.
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