Overview

• Italy’s National Institute for Health reported 89 confirmed West Nile virus infections this season, including a spike of 57 cases in the final week of July that resulted in eight deaths.
• Authorities in Rome have classified the virus as endemic and deployed intensified mosquito control programs alongside enhanced blood-donation screening to curb transmission.
• Approximately 80 percent of West Nile infections produce no symptoms and fewer than 1 percent lead to severe neurological illness, with older and immunocompromised individuals at greatest risk.
• In Bavaria, health officials logged a single non-mosquito-borne occupational infection from handling an infected bird and maintain heightened surveillance of vector populations.
• Experts warn that rising temperatures are creating favorable habitats for Culex and Aedes mosquitoes in central Europe, potentially increasing future transmission risks.