West Nile virus in Europe in 2020 - infections among humans and outbreaks among equids and/or birds, updated 26 November 2020

Between 20 and 26 November 2020, EU Member States and EU-neighbouring countries reported no new human cases nor deaths of WNV infection.

Since the start of the 2020 transmission season, and as of 26 November 2020, EU Member States have reported 316 human cases of WNV infection, including 37 deaths, through TESSy: Greece (143, including 23 deaths), Spain (77, including 7 deaths), Italy (66, including 5 deaths), Germany (13), Romania (6, including 1 death), the Netherlands (7), Hungary (3) and Bulgaria (1, including 1 death). The province of Pazardzhik in Bulgaria, the province of Badajoz in Spain, the regions of Utrecht and Arnhem/Nijmegen in the Netherlands and five regions in Germany (Barnim, Ostprignitz-Ruppin, Saalekreis, Halle (Saale) and Meissen) reported locally acquired human cases of WNV infection for the first time. All other cases reported through TESSy were reported from areas that have been affected during previous transmission seasons.

EU-neighbouring countries reported 17 human cases of WNV infection; all were reported by Israel.

Since the beginning of the 2020 transmission season, 185 outbreaks among equids have been reported. These outbreaks have been reported by Spain (139), Germany (20), Italy (15), France (5), Portugal (2), Austria (2), Greece (1) and Hungary (1) through the Animal Disease Notification System (ADNS). Since the beginning of the 2020 transmission season, two outbreaks among birds have been reported through ADNS, both by Bulgaria.