Man hospitalised as West Nile virus case confirmed in Cyprus

Local healthTop News Man hospitalised as West Nile virus case confirmed in Cyprus A View From Above Of The Body Of A Fossilized Male Mosquito Trapped In Amber Found In Central Lebanon Dating To About 130 Million Years Ago Relevant News Man hospitalised as West Nile virus case confirmed in Cyprus 20 August 2026 The open crossing points perpetuating partition 20 August 2026 Admire the state: how it recycles its own inertia 20 August 2026 newsroom 20 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber The Ministry of Health has confirmed a case of West Nile virus in Cyprus. According to initial information confirmed by the ministry, the patient is an elderly person currently being treated at Nicosia General Hospital. No further details on the patient’s condition are available for now, and initial indications suggest the person has no recent travel history. West Nile virus is not transmitted from person to person and spreads exclusively through the bite of an infected mosquito. Cyprus among high-risk areas The case comes after the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) issued a health alert for EU member states following a surge in mosquito-borne diseases across the Mediterranean, which included Cyprus among the high-risk areas. Cyprus had already received a Level 2b risk classification from the ECDC for the transmission of dengue fever, Zika virus and chikungunya. Culex pipiens mosquitoes, the species primarily responsible for West Nile virus transmission, are most active during the summer months, when temperature and humidity conditions favour both the insect and the virus’s replication. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which transmit dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever, re-established populations in Cyprus in 2022 after decades of absence from Europe, alongside the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, now present across multiple regions of the island. Climate factors West Nile virus has caused recurring outbreaks in the Mediterranean since the 1950s, typically resurfacing during the hot season, with birds acting as the virus’s amplifying hosts through both local and long-range migratory movement. Cyprus is a major stop-over site for migratory birds and has a history of previous West Nile virus outbreaks. According to the ECDC, higher temperatures “prolong the period during which mosquitoes are active, increasing the duration and intensity of transmission” of vector-borne viruses. Research cited by the agency shows mosquito biting frequency triples as temperatures rise from 20 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius, while climate models predict Aedes mosquitoes will advance northward at six kilometres a year by 2050, three-and-a-half times faster than historical rates. There is currently no vaccine for West Nile virus in humans. The fact that infected mosquitoes carrying the virus are present in Cyprus is very serious and requires the mobilisation of the authorities. Read more: Cyprus now home to two disease-carrying mosquito species, EU health agency warns Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News The open crossing points perpetuating partition Admire the state: how it recycles its own inertia He wanted to exist only on paper South Korea estimates North Korea has up to 120 nuclear warheads, far above Trump’s figure Israeli warns Turkey against ‘dangerous adventures’ in Syria; Syria says no Turkish build-up planned Trump warns of economic consequences for any country that supports Iran Cyprus ranks mid-tier on EU minimum wage when adjusted for purchasing power Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.