Current sectionScience & HealthAccording to the ministry, ten cases have been diagnosed since the start of the summer, and three of those patients remain hospitalized. Meanwhile, mosquitoes carrying the virus have been reportedly detected in several communities in central IsraelShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeA mosquito. Credit: CDC / BSIP / BSIP via AFPA mosquito. Credit: CDC / BSIP / BSIP via AFP06:57 PM • August 06 2026 IDTAn Israeli man in his 70s who contracted West Nile Fever has died from complications after being hospitalized, the Health Ministry announced Thursday.According to the ministry, ten cases have been diagnosed since the beginning of the summer, and three patients remain hospitalized in good condition. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing in an effort to identify the likely locations where patients were exposed to infected mosquitoes. The Health Ministry said the man developed symptoms in mid-July. Most of the patients experienced symptoms typical of the disease, including fever, rash, and changes in consciousness.West Nile Fever is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Culex mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds. The Health Ministry and the Environmental Protection Ministry announced that mosquitoes carrying the West Nile Virus had been detected in Tel Aviv, as well as in Arab towns Tayibe, Tira, Qalansawe, and the Lev HaSharon Regional Council area.Haaretz Election Podcast with Nagham Zbeedat and Dahlia Scheindlin: Could a Jewish politician joining an Islamist party shake up Israel's elections?Following the findings, the Environmental Protection Ministry instructed local authorities to expand prevention, monitoring, public awareness and pest-control efforts. The Health Ministry and the Environmental Protection Ministry called on the public to eliminate sources of standing water, use mosquito repellents, and report mosquito infestations to local authorities.In most cases, the illness is mild or causes no symptoms, but in rare cases it can lead to inflammation of the brain or the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (encephalitis or meningitis). The risk of severe illness is higher among people aged 60 and older and those with underlying medical conditions.In 2024, Israel recorded its largest outbreak of West Nile fever in recent decades, with 930 infections and 73 deaths. According to the Health Ministry, the unusually high number of cases primarily affected people aged 60 and older in central Israel.In the NewsPalestinians Report Assaults, Vandalism as IDF Storms West Bank Refugee CampThe Buried History of Tel Aviv's Hilton Hotel, Told Through Its Vintage ChinaIsrael Charges Couple With Photographing Homes and Sites for IranIran Warns Gulf States: Tell Trump to Stop U.S. Strikes or We Hit You HardIsrael, Lebanon Hold Talks as Overnight IDF Strikes Wound 8, Medics SayRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIThis Israeli ultra-Orthodox Feminist Activist Has a Warning for U.S. JewsHow Israel's Elbit Armed the United Arab Emirates'I Tried, I Got Crushed by AIPAC': Andy Levin Is All-in for El-SayedIt's No Wonder Israelis Want War. Violence Has Become a Source of JoyIsrael Captured 230 Square Miles of Lebanon, Razed Villages and Built New BasesFormer Mossad Chief Appointed to Lead U.S. Defense Technology Company