West Nile Virus Lake Garda Spread

Ob Beach holiday on Lake GardaHike IM Trentino Or a city trip to Milan or Rome – Italy is one of the most popular for many Germans Travel destinations in summer. However, the holiday country is currently being overshadowed by a wave of illnesses: More and more regions are reporting infections with the West Nil virus-some of them with a fatal course. What is behind the virus and whether too Lake Garda is affected, read here.

How is the West Nil virus transmitted?

According to information from Robert Koch Institute (RKI) As a rule, the west-Nil virus occurs in wild birds and can be transferred further via the sting of local mosquitoes of the genus Culex. If a mosquito stabs an infected bird, the virus can open up Other mammals Translated if these are also stung from the mosquito. According to the RKI, this should occur especially for horses – but people can also infect the virus in this way. In individual cases, according to the RKI, organ transplantation or blood transfusion also resulted in the virus. According to the RKI, between two and 14 days can pass between the infection and the occurrence of the first symptoms.

Originally native to the tropics, the West Nil virus has now also spread through migratory birds in Europe and Mediterranean regions. According to the RKI, it has been broadcast seasonally during the summer months, especially in southern Europe – and can even be there there hibernate. According to the RKI people in Italy, Greece, France, Turkey and large parts of the Balkans, people are particularly affected by infection. But the virus is also increasing in north -lived regions, such as in Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria. According to the RKI, illnesses have also been reported in Germany since 2019, in which people through mosquito bites infected with the virus.

How does the West Nil virus express itself?

As the RKI reports, infections with the West Nil virus are largely without recognizable symptoms. Only about 20 percent of the infected people develop a flu -like disease with a fever. This usually takes three to six days and usually heals without complications.

Symptoms of the West Nil virus include:

• Fever
• chills
• Headache
• Back pain
• Fatigue
• Lymph node swelling
• Rash (in around 50 percent of the cases)

Deaths in Italy: How dangerous is the West Nil virus?

In rare cases, an infection with the West Nile virus can also lead to a serious course of the disease. According to the Robert Koch Institute, one of a hundred infected people falls ill with a so-called neuroin-vasive form of the disease. Some patients can lead to benign meningitis (meningitis). In individual cases, brain inflammation (encephalitis) can also develop, which is associated with different neurological damage and, in the worst case, can be fatal.

Most recently, the virus performed increasingly in Italy. Loud a report The Italian health authority ISS of July 31, 2025 were registered with a neuroin -vasive course in the week from 24 to 30 July 57, including 40. This increased the number of reported infections in Italy this year to 89. According to the report, at least eight people died as a result of the disease. According to the RKI, older people and people with previous illnesses are particularly at risk of a difficult course.

Lake Garda: What do vacationers need to know about the West Nil virus?

According to the report of the Italian health authority ISS, the West Nil virus has so far been proven in a total of ten regions of Italy-including Piemont, Lombardy, Veneto, Friuli Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Latium, Abruzzo, Campania, Apulia and Sardinia. Positive findings were among other things In the province of Brescia Registered, which is only around 30 kilometers east of Lake Garda. According to the report, deaths occurred in Piedmont, Latium and Campania.

It is difficult to predict to what extent the West Nil virus will spread in the coming weeks. The spread depends on the RKI of various factors: According to this, outbreaks would often be included favorable weather and climate conditions related for mosquitoes.

Like that Foreign office Informed, in Italy there can always be seasonal outbreaks of the West Nil virus during the summer months. However, vaccination or targeted treatment in the event of illness is currently not yet available. In order to avoid infection, the Federal Foreign Office therefore advises protective measures in particular during the day as part of so -called exposure prophylaxis. This means preventing mosquito bites, for example, by insect defense agents for the skin, long clothing or insect nets.