The center of Greece's West Nile virus outbreak has shifted from Thessaly to Attica, with new encephalitis cases linked to the mosquito-borne virus recorded in the Athens region over the past week, according to Gkikas Magiorkinis, an epidemiologist advising the Health Ministry.
By Vassilis Venizelos
Mr. Magiorkinis, an associate professor of hygiene and epidemiology at the University of Athens Medical School and a member of the ministry's expert committee, told iefimerida that severe storm Daniel likely played a major role in the shift, driving infected birds from Thessaly into Attica.
The National Public Health Organization (EODY) has recorded a spike in human West Nile cases in the Mesogeia area east of Athens as a result, with encephalitis — the virus's most serious complication — appearing at rates well above the region's typical baseline.
West Nile virus, transmitted primarily through mosquito bites, can cause fever and, in severe cases, inflammation of the brain. Greece has faced periodic outbreaks in recent years, particularly in areas near wetlands and agricultural land where mosquito populations thrive.
Health authorities have urged residents in affected areas to take precautions, including using insect repellent, avoiding standing water and covering skin during peak mosquito activity hours. Officials said monitoring efforts are being intensified in Attica as the outbreak's geographic center continues to evolve.