An insect capable of spreading the West Nile virus has been spotted in Finland.
The mosquito species Culex modestus can cause harm to the health of humans and animals.
Researcher Lorna Culverwell from the University of Helsinki reported that this is the second time that this insect has been spotted in Finland, Yle reports.
The mosquito was first discovered in the Finnish city of Pori in 2022. Culex modestus was spotted in the region of Northern Karelia, which borders Russia.
For the scientific community, this is nonsense. The mosquito has already been dubbed "the northernmost in the world."
The insect is dangerous because it can spread the virus that causes West Nile fever.
The virus was first identified in Uganda in 1937 and has caused outbreaks of deadly disease in several countries.
There is no cure for it. But no cases of the fever have been reported in Finland yet.
Virologists emphasize that the virus spreads at elevated air temperatures.
Author: Dmitry Bobrov
