West Nile Fever increase in Greece

Global travel insurance and assistance company Sitata has warned travellers to Greece about the increased risk of West Nile Fever.

It said that so far this year a total of 162 domestic cases have been reported, as well as 22 deaths.

However, the company believes that ‘the actual number of cases is likely higher’, saying that ‘for every reported case with central nervous system symptoms there are approximately 140 cases with mild or no symptoms’.

Travellers to Greece who are planning to spend a lot of time outdoors or will be in areas with a high number of mosquitoes are at an increased risk of exposure to the virus, but the risk to the general traveller is quite low.

There is no vaccine or treatment for West Nile Fever, therefore travellers heading to areas where the virus has been found should take all necessary precautions to avoid mosquito bites, particularly because in a small number of infected people it can cause serious neurological illness or death.