Athens : Greece’s National Public Health Organisation (EODY) confirmed 75 cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in the country so far in 2025, including five fatalities. The outbreak highlights ongoing concerns about mosquito-borne illnesses in Europe.
Of the confirmed cases, 62 patients experienced central nervous system (CNS) symptoms, such as encephalitis, meningitis, or acute flaccid paralysis, while 13 patients showed mild symptoms or remained asymptomatic. All five fatalities involved patients aged over 71, according to EODY.
The organisation reported that the first cases of the virus this year appeared in July. Over the past two months, infections have been identified across 34 municipalities in 18 regional units. In the past week alone, six new domestic cases and two imported cases—one from Serbia and one from Italy—were confirmed. EODY warned that additional cases are likely to emerge in the coming weeks.
Elsewhere in Europe, West Nile virus infections have also been reported in Albania, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Romania, and Serbia, according to Xinhua news agency, citing the Greek news agency AMNA.
The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that West Nile virus can cause neurological disease and death in humans. WNV is commonly found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and West Asia. The virus is maintained in nature through a bird-mosquito transmission cycle, with humans, horses, and other mammals acting as incidental hosts.
West Nile virus belongs to the flavivirus genus and the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of the family Flaviviridae. It was first isolated in 1937 from a woman in the West Nile district of Uganda and later identified in birds in Egypt’s Nile Delta in 1953. Before 1997, WNV was not considered pathogenic for birds, but a more virulent strain in Israel caused bird deaths with encephalitis and paralysis. Human infections have been reported globally for over 50 years.
The largest outbreaks of WNV have occurred in Greece, Israel, Romania, Russia, and the USA, typically along major migratory bird routes. Since its introduction to the USA in 1999, the virus has spread widely, now establishing itself from Canada to Venezuela.
With the current 2025 outbreak, Greek authorities continue to strengthen mosquito control measures, enhance public awareness, and monitor high-risk regions, aiming to reduce infections and protect vulnerable populations.
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