France, Oct. 11 -- In its most recent bulletin published on 7 October, French public health agency Sante Publique France reported 161 human cases of the West Nile virus nationwide, 16 more than the week before.

These cases were identified as part of seasonal surveillance period which started on 1 May and will continue until 30 November.

Of the 161 locally acquired cases, 28 were asymptomatic - detected during routine blood donation screening - and 133 were symptomatic.

Among those with symptoms, 60 were neuro-invasive cases, including five deaths.

SPF warns that the data does not allow for a determination of whether these deaths were attributable to the West Nile virus infection.

This is an unprecedented figure for France, which reco...