West Nile fever monitoring: First cases reported in EU for 2018 season
In the past week, the first human cases of West Nile fever have been reported in the EU for the current transmission season.
Greece reported four cases (three confirmed and one probable case) in Dytiki Attiki in the Attiki Region. Human West Nile fever cases have been previously reported in the Attiki Region between 2011 and 2014.
In Italy, one confirmed case was reported in Rovigo, an area where human West Nile Fever cases have also been reported in previous years.
ECDC monitors the occurrence of West Nile fever cases in Europe throughout the transmission season (June – November). A weekly update with interactive data on the human and equine cases in the EU/EEA and neighbouring countries is made available every Friday through the ECDC Surveillance Atlas.
The specific aim of these weekly updates is to provide timely information on affected areas to the blood safety authorities in Europe, and thus support them in the application of related EU regulations. According to the EU regulations, EU Member states should defer or test prospective blood donors who have travelled to or reside in areas with West Nile transmission.
