Cyprus Ministry of Health confirms four cases of West Nile fever over the summer

Four cases of West Nile virus infection were confirmed in Cyprus over the summer, while two more cases are being tested in a laboratory. The situation is under control, said Elisabeth Constantinou, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Health.

All four confirmed cases are considered imported. “If there had been many cases, we would have seen more hospitalisations. There would have been more than four,” Constantinou said. Around 80% of those infected experience the infection without symptoms, which is why severe cases are rare.

The virus is transmitted only through the bite of an infected mosquito; it is not transmitted from person to person. The diagnosis is made through a blood test. The Ministry of Health sent medical professionals updated guidance on symptoms and diagnosis, strengthened protocols for services working with blood samples and expanded mosquito-control treatments in various areas.

Severe illness occurs in approximately 1% of those infected; older people and patients with weakened immune systems are considered at risk. On 20 August, it was reported that a 74-year-old patient with encephalitis linked to the virus had been admitted to the intensive care unit of a Nicosia hospital. The patient had not travelled abroad.

Cyprus has been monitoring West Nile virus since 2016. The highest number of cases was recorded in 2019 — 24. There were nine cases in 2023, while no cases were registered in 2020, 2021 or 2025.

Residents are advised to wear long-sleeved clothing near bodies of water, use insect repellent, remove standing water around their homes and turn on air conditioners or fans. There is no cause for concern, but monitoring is continuing, the Ministry of Health stressed.