EU Reports Record 1,715 Locally Acquired West Nile Cases and 130 Deaths in 2026

Europe has just had its worst West Nile virus season on record. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said Thursday, Oct. 15, that EU countries have reported 1,715 locally acquired human cases and 130 deaths, based on data submitted up to Oct. 7.

That is the highest total ever reported, and it sits well above the ten-year average of 693 cases.

A wider count covers 18 European countries, including non-EU states. The ECDC and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) put that tally at 1,855 human cases and 141 deaths since early 2026. Reuters reported that human cases rose by 769 from the agencies' September report.

Where the cases are

Italy is still the hardest hit, with 748 cases. Greece recorded 445 and France 144. Greece and France both set national records for human cases.

The bigger shift is geographic. The Netherlands has reported 59 human cases this year. Belgium has reported 15, the first locally acquired human infections ever recorded there.

"Recent detections in people and animals in Belgium and the Netherlands show that the virus is now circulating further north, a trend that is expected to continue in the coming years," the ECDC said.

The animal numbers are also heavy. Fifteen European countries have reported 511 outbreaks among horses and other equids, and 595 among birds.

An EFSA scientific officer in the agency's Biological Hazards and Animal Health Welfare Unit put it bluntly: "In 2026, WNV has reached record levels in Europe, with the number of human cases and animal outbreaks surpassing historical records."

Severity has not climbed with the count

More cases did not mean a nastier disease. The ECDC noted that the number of people who died, needed hospital care or developed neurological symptoms is the same as in the previous decade.

About 80% of infected people have no symptoms at all. When symptoms appear, they range from fever to, in severe cases, neurological disease and death. Older adults and people with weak immune systems face the highest risk.

The agencies say activity has declined since its August to September peak, though further cases may still be reported. The transmission season is nearing its end, though residual transmission may continue in the coming weeks.

What officials want done

The virus cycles between mosquitoes and birds and can infect people and horses. The ECDC's Céline Gossner said that means "no single sector can address the risk alone."

Ole Heuer, the ECDC's Head of Unit, said the virus "varies considerably from year to year and is difficult to predict," and called for preparation. "Earlier detection, greater awareness and effective mosquito control can help us reduce the impact of the virus as it spreads to new areas," he said.

There is no licensed vaccine for humans. Treatment is limited to managing symptoms, with hospital supportive care for severe cases.

The ECDC's advice for people in affected areas is practical: repellent, loose long clothing in the evening and at night, window screens, mosquito nets or air conditioning. EU rules also provide for deferring or testing blood donors who may have been exposed.

What comes next

The season is winding down, but further cases may still be reported. The ECDC says year-to-year occurrence is hard to predict, yet it expects the virus to keep moving north. Belgium and the Netherlands, which reported their cases this year, are now among the places where the virus is circulating farther north, and the ECDC is calling for earlier detection, greater awareness and effective mosquito control.