West Nile fever spreads: infected mosquitoes detected in additional areas
The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection reported mosquitoes carrying the virus in Ramat HaSharon and the regional councils of Emek Hefer, Lev HaSharon, and Eilot, joining a series of hotspots identified in recent weeks across the country. Since the beginning of the season, 20 patients have been diagnosed, one of whom died and another remains hospitalized. The Ministry of Health warns: "The virus is active, so it is important to avoid mosquito bites as much as possible."
Mosquitoes carrying the West Nile fever virus have been detected in additional areas of the country. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection announced today, Tuesday, that monitoring tests have identified infected mosquitoes in Ramat HaSharon and the regional councils of Emek Hefer, Lev HaSharon, and Eilot. This follows the detection of infected mosquitoes in several other hotspots from the north to the south of the country in recent weeks.
According to the Ministry of Health, 20 patients have been diagnosed with the virus in Israel since the start of the season. One patient remains hospitalized, and one person has died from the disease. Most patients presented with characteristic symptoms, including fever and rash, and in some cases, changes in consciousness. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing to determine where the patients were exposed.
Previous findings included infected mosquitoes in the Jezreel Valley, Emek Hefer, Sha'ar HaNegev, Petah Tikva, Kafr Qasim, Kafr Bara, the area near Ben Gurion Airport, and the regional councils of Brenner and Central Arava. Following these results, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has instructed local authorities to intensify prevention, monitoring, and extermination efforts.
Officials warn that summer conditions, particularly hot and humid weather combined with standing water, allow mosquitoes to breed and increase the risk of exposure.
"This week, mosquitoes carrying the West Nile fever virus were trapped in the Sharon area as well as in the south of the country," says Dr. Shay Reichert, director of the Pest and Extermination Division at the Ministry of Environmental Protection. "These cases indicate a continued upward trend in the risk of humans being exposed to the virus due to a bite from an infected mosquito."
Prof. Sigal Sadetsky, head of the Public Health Division at the Ministry of Health, emphasizes that the number of diagnosed patients does not necessarily reflect the full extent of the virus's activity, as most infected individuals remain asymptomatic. However, a minority may develop severe and even fatal neurological disease.
"For the public, the message is simple: the virus is active, so it is important to avoid mosquito bites as much as possible and reduce standing water sources," she says.
This recommendation is especially critical for those aged 60 and over and individuals with underlying conditions. The health and environmental ministries urge the public to drain standing water around their homes, use repellents, install window screens, and report mosquito hazards in public areas to local authorities. The main season for West Nile fever typically lasts from early June through the end of November.
