ECDC publishes weekly maps on West Nile fever cases in EuropeArchived
ECDC West Nile fever maps are based on information provided by the health authorities across Europe with the objective to inform the national competent authorities about WNV affected areas.
ECDC West Nile fever maps are based on information provided by the health authorities across Europe with the objective to inform the national competent authorities about WNV affected areas. This supports EU blood safety legislation; the EU Blood Directive, where EU Member States initiate control measures to ensure blood safety when cases/outbreaks of West Nile fever are occurring, in particular to defer all blood donations from affected areas with ongoing West Nile virus transmission.
The report includes a map showing the geographical distribution of the reported human cases; as well as a situation update and a table on the number of cases according to countries and areas. It encompasses EU Member States and the bordering countries, included in the WHO European region and/or bordering the Mediterranean Sea.
A major challenge to the implementation of this regulation is the timely collecting of accurate information about affected areas. To address this need, ECDC undertakes to collect data from the countries and provide, for the 2011 transmission season, weekly updates on the reported cases of West Nile fever.
In 2010, human cases of West Nile fever were reported in several EU and bordering countries. (Romania, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey and Russia). West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-transmitted virus; humans are mainly infected through mosquito bites, although infection through organ transplantation and blood transfusion has been documented, as has trans-placental transmission.
