West Nile Virus in Greece: Authorities Report Rising Number of Severe Cases

Transmission and Clinical Picture

West Nile fever is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes that acquire the virus from infected birds and pass it on to humans or mammals. According to current knowledge, direct human-to-human transmission is not possible. Most infections are mild or asymptomatic, but in some cases, the feared neurological complications occur.

Already at the beginning of August, the number of registered severe cases had risen significantly in several Greek regions. Observers had warned at the time that the peak of the season was still ahead. Increases in cases have also been reported this year in other southern European countries, including Italy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is closely monitoring the situation in Europe, according to its own account. For years, it has classified the West Nile virus as one of the most important vector-borne infectious diseases in the European region. Recommended measures include mosquito protection, wearing long-sleeved clothing at dusk, and the removal of standing water reservoirs near homes.

Protective Measures and Recommendations

EODY recommends that travelers and the local population protect themselves with insect repellents, particularly in the early morning and evening hours. Anyone living in or staying in affected areas should watch for symptoms such as sudden fever, severe headache, neck stiffness, or confusion and seek medical help promptly if such symptoms occur, the authority said.

According to EODY, most of the reported severe cases involve older adults. Children and young adults typically experience milder illness, the authority noted; severe neurological courses are rare in these age groups but cannot be ruled out. No vaccines against the West Nile virus have been approved for human use to date, and no specific antiviral therapy exists; treatment is symptomatic only.

Background: Seasonal Outbreaks in Greece

For Greece, the West Nile virus is not a new phenomenon; in recent years, seasonal outbreaks have occurred repeatedly, with widely varying scale. In particularly affected summers, such as 2018, several dozen deaths associated with the virus were registered nationwide. The current development falls within a period of unusually high temperatures and prolonged drought periods, which are considered contributing factors for the proliferation of mosquitoes.

EODY announced that it would continue surveillance and publish new data on a weekly basis. Mosquito control programs in the particularly affected regions are also running at full capacity, the authority emphasized. Citizens were simultaneously urged to actively remove standing water from their surroundings, where mosquitoes could breed.

WHO and National Response

The WHO pointed out that effective containment of the West Nile virus requires a long-term strategy. This includes, in addition to surveillance of birds and mosquitoes, measures to improve diagnostics in hospitals. Member states with seasonal circulation of the virus – such as Greece – should expand their capacities during the summer months, the organization recommended.

In Athens, hospitals were prepared for a possible further increase in severe cases, according to the Health Ministry. Intensive care units have been put on alert, and staff are receiving additional training. Citizens can obtain information through the EODY website and through municipal health services about where to turn in case of suspected infection.