Greek authorities are grappling with a significant public health crisis as West Nile virus infections surge, with 45 new locally transmitted cases reported last week. The National Public Health Organization of Greece, EODY, has recorded dozens of new cases in just one week, highlighting particularly intense circulation in the Attica region. This rapid deterioration of the epidemiological picture over the summer of 2026 places further strain on the nation's public health infrastructure.
By 12 August 2026, a total of 110 domestically acquired cases of West Nile virus infection had been reported across the country. Of these, 81 cases involved severe manifestations affecting the central nervous system, such as encephalitis, meningitis, meningoencephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis. Another 29 cases presented with milder symptoms or showed no central nervous system involvement.
Nine deaths have been recorded among patients suffering from West Nile virus infection with central nervous system manifestations. All individuals who died were over 65 years of age, with a median age of 82 and an age range spanning from 66 to 91 years. This highlights the vulnerability of the native elderly population to such outbreaks.
As of 12 August, 35 patients remained hospitalised, with 19 in ordinary wards and 16 in Intensive Care Units. These figures indicate the pressure on finite healthcare resources, which are meant to serve the nation's citizens. Only five of the recorded cases did not require hospitalisation, underscoring the severity of the outbreak for most affected individuals.
The Cost to Our People
The median age of patients with central nervous system manifestations is 73 years, though cases range widely from 19 to 91 years. EODY warns that the 110 laboratory-confirmed cases do not reflect the total number of infected people. A 2010 seroepidemiological study suggests that for every single case with central nervous system involvement, there are around 140 infected people who develop mild symptoms or remain asymptomatic. This indicates a much broader, unquantified spread within the population, posing an unseen threat to public health.
The virus has become established in Greece, as it has in other European countries, with cases occurring almost annually since 2010. This long-term presence points to a persistent challenge to national public health and the state's ability to protect its citizens. Cases have been recorded and investigated in 39 municipalities, across 14 regional units and four regions: Attica, Thessaly, Central Macedonia, and the Peloponnese. This wide geographical spread demonstrates the difficulty in containing the virus within national borders.
Attica, the nation's capital region, is particularly hard-hit, with areas in East Attica and various sectors of Athens, as well as Piraeus, affected. In the municipality of Spata-Artemida, 11 patients with central nervous system manifestations and two without have been recorded. Markopoulo Mesogaias has reported eight patients with central nervous system involvement and three without, while Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni has seen five cases with central nervous system manifestations and two without. Pallini has five cases with central nervous system involvement, Agia Paraskevi six, Acharnes three, Chalandri three, Glyfada three, and the municipality of Athens three. These numbers reveal the direct impact on local communities and their public services.
National Capacity Stretched
Certain municipalities in East Attica show a particularly high proportion of severe cases. Markopoulo Mesogaias records 36.8 cases with central nervous system manifestations per 100,000 inhabitants. Spata-Artemida's rate stands at 31.5 per 100,000 inhabitants, indicating significant local impact and strain on community resources.
Additional municipalities have been classified as high-risk areas based on epidemiological and geomorphological data, including Kifisia, Iraklio, Filothei-Psychiko, Metamorfosi, Kallithea, Nea Smyrni, Nea Filadelfeia-Nea Chalkidona, and Dafni-Ymittos in Athens. Outside Attica, high-risk areas include Amfipoli in Serres, Heroic City of Naousa in Imathia, and Delta in the Metropolitan Unit of Thessaloniki. No human cases had been recorded in these newly classified high-risk municipalities by the time the report was published, but the classification itself signals a growing threat to public safety.
Veterinary surveillance has also shown recent West Nile virus infections in equines at five sites in East Attica, Drama, Preveza, and the Metropolitan Unit of Thessaloniki. This indicates a broader environmental presence of the virus, making containment more complex. EODY states that every reported human case is investigated within 24 hours, with daily communication with laboratories and support for suspected cases.
An information letter was sent to all health facilities and medical associations in the country about 3 months ago, in May 2026. About 5 months ago, in March 2026, the Ministry of Health issued a specific circular on integrated mosquito management programmes. EODY has urged regions and municipalities for the timely launch, proper organisation, and effective implementation of these mosquito-control programmes. An enhanced entomological surveillance network has been set up for 2026, with EODY installing mosquito traps across Greece. Despite these measures, the current surge suggests that national and local efforts are struggling to contain the established virus, challenging the state's capacity to protect its citizens. EODY anticipates additional cases in the coming weeks, both in areas already affected and potentially in new areas, underscoring the ongoing challenge to public safety and national health capacity.