West Nile virus in Europe: update 2

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports continuing transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) in European countries.

Since the beginning of 2023 to 4 October 2023, cases have been reported from: Italy (295 cases, including 18 deaths), Greece (153 cases, including 47 deaths), Serbia (84 cases), Romania (68 cases including 9 deaths), France (33 cases), Hungary (28 cases), Spain (11 cases including 1 death), Croatia (6 cases), Germany (4 cases), North Macedonia (1 case) and Cyprus (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

Travellers to affected areas should be advised to:

• practice mosquito bite avoidance measures at all times, especially at dusk and dawn during peak transmission times and when outbreaks are known to be occurring
• seek medical advice if they develop a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms with fever following travel to a risk area

There is no vaccine against West Nile virus.

Note for blood donors: those who have recently travelled to an area with West Nile virus transmission may need to wait or be tested for the virus before their blood is accepted.

• see the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service website for further details

For further information see TRAVAX West Nile Fever page.