West Nile virus transmission rapidly increasing in the past weeks
Forty-three West Nile virus cases were reported in EU during the past two weeks, which indicates a clear increase compared to a total of 54 cases during the whole 2016 transmission season.
Although there’s a noted peak in the reported West Nile fever transmission in EU recently, the overall number of cases is still within the expected ranges for the disease transmission season.
Thirty-two new cases were reported in the EU Member States in the past week, and 11 cases – in the week before.
During the past week countries have notified about West Nile fever cases in humans in:
- Austria: the first two cases for the season
- Hungary: four new cases, three in the newly affected area of Budapest
- Italy: 10 new confirmed cases, nine in the newly affected provinces
- Romania: 15 new cases, five in the newly affected areas
- For the first time Cyprus has reported a West Nile fever case, but investigations are still ongoing to estimate the risk of local transmission.
During the week before, 11 new cases have been reported in EU, by Hungary, Romania and Spain.
In the neighbouring countries (Israel, Russia and Serbia), 19 and 21 new cases have been reported in the past week and the week before, respectively.