Riga, Oct 5 (IANS): The first case of West Nile fever in Latvia has been detected in a dead bird in the laboratory of the Scientific Institute for Food Safety (BIOR), Animal Health and Environment, local media reported.

West Nile virus was detected in a sample of a Eurasian goshawk on Friday, which was sent for investigation to establish the cause of death, reports Xinhua, quoting the LETA news agency.

BIOR said West Nile fever is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects birds and horses, and less commonly other animal species. Birds are the most common host of the virus, but humans can also be infected, however, the infection does not spread from person to person.

In most cases, the West Nile virus causes a mild acute febrile illness, similar to influenza, while in rare cases encephalitis symptoms can also develop.

West Nile fever is an infection by the West Nile virus, which is typically spread by mosquitoes. In about 80 per cent of infections, people have few or no symptoms. About 20 per cent of people develop a fever, headache, vomiting, or a rash.