West Nile virus: 79 municipalities on alert

The West Nile virus remains on the rise in Greece, with 79 municipalities across the country now classified as either affected, due to confirmed human cases, or high-risk, according to data from the National Public Health Organization (EODY) as presented by ΤΑ ΝΕΑ and Ελεύθερος Τύπος on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. The number of municipalities on alert has increased in recent days, with the two newspapers noting that the situation is developing rapidly in several regions of the country. This increase is triggering additional surveillance and prevention measures from the relevant health authorities, especially ahead of September, a month traditionally associated with increased activity of the virus.

The epicenter of the spread remains Attica, where, according to Ελεύθερος Τύπος, 39 of the region’s 66 municipalities have now been classified as affected or high-risk. Twelve new areas were added to the list between August 26 and 31, among them Ilion, recorded as high-risk, and Galatsi. The affected municipalities of Attica include, among others, Athens, Marousi, Kifisia, Agia Paraskevi, Chalandri, Pallini, Marathon, Rafina-Pikermi, Acharnes, Glyfada, Kallithea, Piraeus and Chaidari, while Irakleio Attikis, Nea Smyrni, Dafni-Ymittos and Nea Filadelfeia-Nea Chalkidona are also recorded as high-risk. Outside Attica, cases and increased risk are also recorded in Thessaly, Central Macedonia, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, as well as in Crete.

As for the toll, the two reports state that by August 26, 232 cases and 19 deaths had been recorded nationwide, the majority in people aged 66 to 91. The virus is transmitted exclusively through the bite of an infected mosquito and never from person to person. Approximately eight in ten infected people show no symptoms at all, while in about 1% of cases the infection progresses to a serious neurological complication, such as encephalitis or meningitis. People over 65 and immunocompromised patients face a higher risk. On the blood safety front, the National Blood Transfusion Centre (EKEA) is now applying molecular testing (NAT) to blood units, as geographic exclusion of donors from affected areas is no longer considered practically feasible due to the wide spread of the virus.

EODY recommends removing standing water from yards, flower pots and other spots where mosquitoes breed, as well as using window screens and mosquito nets. September is expected to be a critical month, as the virus’s activity in Greece typically peaks from mid-August to early September. Health authorities are expected to regularly update the list of affected and high-risk municipalities, as new cases or new positive readings in mosquitoes and birds can change the surveillance map.