The Athens Medical Association (ISA) has called for stronger public-health measures to curb the spread of West Nile virus in the greater Athens area, expressing serious concern over this year’s epidemiological picture.
“This year’s situation is particularly worrying,” the ISA said, noting the sharp contrast with 2022 and 2023, when no locally acquired human cases were reported in Attica despite virus circulation elsewhere in Greece.
Greece is currently experiencing a surge in West Nile virus infections. According to latest data from the National Public Health Organization (EODY), 157 locally acquired cases and 13 deaths had been reported nationwide through August 19.
The ISA stressed that prevention cannot begin only after human cases emerge. It requires early and systematic mosquito-control measures, including chemical control, elimination of breeding sites, entomological surveillance and targeted interventions based on findings from the relevant authorities.
Given the extent of this year’s spread in Attica, the medical association is seeking answers about the authorities’ response before and after the first human cases were identified. It is asking what entomological and epizootic surveillance showed, when and where the virus was first detected in mosquitoes or birds, and what measures were taken following those findings.
