West Nile virus in Europe: Update 2
17 Sep 2024
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports ongoing transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) in European countries.
From 1 March 2024 to 29 August 2024, 15 countries have reported a total of 715 cases, including 51 deaths.
The following countries are affected: Italy (287 cases, 10 deaths), Greece (138 cases, 17 deaths), Albania (74 cases, 13 deaths), Spain (54 cases, 4 deaths), Hungary (43 cases), Romania (42 cases, 3 deaths), Serbia (27 cases, 1 death), Austria (18 cases), France (15 cases, 1 death), Turkey (7 cases), Croatia (3 cases), Bulgaria (2 cases, 2 deaths), Germany (2 cases), Kosovo (2 cases) and Macedonia (1 case).
West Nile virus is spread by mosquito bites and can cause a flu-like illness, sometimes leading to severe or life-threatening disease.
Advice for Travellers
WNV is rare in travellers. There is no vaccine against WNV.
When visiting areas affected by WNV, you should:
- practice mosquito bite avoidance measures at all times
- seek medical advice if you develop a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms with a high temperature (fever) following travel to a risk area
Note for blood donors: if you have recently travelled to an area with WNV transmission, you may need to be tested for WNV before donating blood.
- see the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service website for further details
For further information see the fitfortravel West Nile Fever page.