West Nile virus in Europe
16 Jul 2024
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reports transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) in three European countries.
From the beginning of 2024 to 10 July 2024, a total of three cases have been reported from: Italy (Modena, 1 case), Greece (Larissa, 1 case) and Spain (Seville, 1 case).
West Nile virus is spread by mosquito bites and can cause a flu-like illness and sometimes, severe disease.
Advice for Travellers
WNV is rare in travellers. There is no vaccine against WNV.
When visiting areas affected by WNV, you should:
- practice mosquito bite avoidance measures at all times
- seek medical advice if you develop a sudden onset of flu-like symptoms with a high temperature (fever) following travel to a risk area
Note for blood donors: if you have recently travelled to an area with WNV transmission, you may need to be tested for WNV before donating blood.
- see the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service website for further details
For further information see the fitfortravel West Nile Fever page.