Further information:

• When travelling to North America (USA and Canada) and Israel in the period 1. April-30. November, there is without exemptions a 4 week deferral from blood donation.

• West Nile Virus (WNV) is an infection caused by a virus transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. These mosquitoes are found in many parts of the world including: Europe, Africa, The Middle East, North America, Asia.

• The virus cannot be transmitted directly from one person to another through casual contact. It can be transmitted through blood transfusion from an infected donor.

• The mosquitoes that spread the virus are not to be found in Iceland so risk of contracting virus in Iceland is not considered high. People who have travelled to other countries where the virus exists, may have been exposed without knowing it.

• Symptoms of WNV: such as fever, headache, lethargy, bone pain, rash.

• Screening tests for WNV are not done in Iceland.

• To ensure the safety of blood recipients, we ask donors where they have travelled.

The Blood Bank's staff provides information on which countries / territories are considered to be risk areas for these viral infections, regarding to blood donation. You can also check whether the country is classified as a risk area for blood-borne diseases on the website: JPAC, ECDC