Bavaria Reports Local West Nile Virus Case

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recently reported that 13 countries in Europe reported about 1,000 locally acquired human cases of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection with known place of infection.

These local WNV cases have been reported by Italy (714), Greece (91), Serbia, France, Romania, Spain, Hungary, Croatia, Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Kosovo, and Türkiye.

The ECDC says that in Europe, 63 WNV deaths have been reported in 2025.

And as of October 22, 2025, Germany was added to this unfortunate listing.

A locally acquired human case of WNV has been reported in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria.

This is only the second case ever reported in Bavaria, the first being a vet in 2018. Between 2019 and 2024, 4-35 locally acquired cases of WNV were reported in Germany, most from the eastern part of the country.

With thousands of international travelers arriving to attend Oktoberfest, visitors should take steps to prevent mosquito bites.

As of October 23, 2025, there are no WNV vaccines available to protect people from this mosquito-transmitted disease.