A patient infected with the West Nile virus has died on Wednesday, in Banjaluka hospital.

“The case wasn’t reported as a death caused by an infectious disease because the person had died from a severe cardiovascular disease and indications of a surgical disease,” the hospital said.

The hospital added that all the said symptoms preceded the West Nile virus.

“The patient's death will not be registered as a death caused by an infectious disease,” they stressed.

Apart from this patient, the Republika Srpska entity Health Institute registered another patient with the Western Nile fever from the area of Derventa, Northern Bosnia, who was treated for symptoms of meningoencephalitis.

The West Nile virus has been present in the region for the past several months with growing numbers of new cases and deaths reported primarily in Serbia, but Croatian health institutions are also reporting their own cases.

The latest death toll was recorded in Serbia and now stands at 21 cases and Serbia’s Health Institute reported more than 200 infected patients. Croatia's Health Institute reported one death and 26 patients currently treated for the West Nile fever symptoms.

The West Nile fever is caused by a virus transmitted by mosquitoes, that transmit the virus to humans after feeding on infected birds. In humans, the infection can occur through organ transplantation and blood transfusion. An incubation period of 3-14 days precedes symptoms, although most human infections are asymptomatic.

The majority of clinical cases present flu-like symptoms. Severe cases with signs of encephalitis or meningitis are most often observed among elderly patients. No specific therapy for the disease is available.