The West Nile virus transmission season is intensifying across southern Europe, with Greece reporting 21 locally acquired cases as of late July, according to the National Public Health Organisation (EODY). The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has confirmed that Italy, Spain, Romania, and North Macedonia have also recorded locally transmitted infections, marking a significant geographical spread of the virus.
Greece: Attica at the Epicentre
Of the 21 cases in Greece, 20 patients developed severe central nervous system involvement, including encephalitis, meningitis, or acute flaccid paralysis. Only one case presented with mild symptoms. No fatalities have been recorded so far, but 13 patients remain hospitalised. The vast majority of infections are concentrated in the Attica region, particularly in the municipalities of Spata–Artemida (six cases), Markopoulo Mesogaias (two), Pallini (two), and Agia Paraskevi (two). Single cases have also been reported in Vari–Voula–Vouliagmeni, Kropia, Lavreotiki, Nea Ionia, Chalandri, central Athens, and Glyfada. Outside Attica, one case each has been detected in the Regional Unit of Larissa and the Municipality of Palamas.
EODY has designated several additional municipalities as high-risk areas—Paiania, Rafina–Pikermi, Marousi, Iraklio Attikis, and Filothei–Psychiko—based on epidemiological and geomorphological data, as well as proximity to active transmission zones. The agency notes that West Nile virus has become established in Greece since 2010, with cases appearing almost yearly, mirroring trends in other European countries.
Italy Leads Regional Spread
Italy has reported the widest spread of the virus, with 20 cases across 16 areas. The hardest-hit locations include Novara (three cases), Cremona (two), and Verona (two). Infections have also been recorded in Milan, Florence, Naples, Padua, Modena, and Ferrara. The ECDC map shows that 11 of Italy’s 16 affected areas were added in the most recent reporting week, underscoring the virus’s rapid geographical expansion.
In North Macedonia, two cases have been confirmed in the Skopje and Vardar regions. Romania has reported two cases in Argeș and Suceava, while Spain has two cases in Alicante and Seville. The ECDC now publishes weekly updates during the summer, as transmission is influenced by weather conditions, mosquito abundance, and the movements of wild birds, which serve as the virus’s natural reservoir.
Health authorities across the continent recommend personal protective measures against mosquitoes, as it remains impossible to predict precisely which areas will be affected during the current transmission season. The situation highlights the ongoing public health challenge posed by vector-borne diseases in a warming Europe.
