Brussels: More than 1,000 cases of West Nile virus have been recorded in Europe, as reported by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). The organization announced that 1,086 locally acquired cases have emerged in 15 European countries since the beginning of the current transmission season until September 3.

According to Iraqi News Agency, the ECDC’s latest weekly update highlighted that the rate of infection has significantly accelerated, with cases increasing from 241 in seven countries at the beginning of August to the current numbers. Italy has been the most affected, with 516 cases, followed by Greece with 284 cases, and Spain with 88 cases. The virus has spread to 144 regions in Europe, including 62 in Italy.

West Nile virus is transmitted primarily among wild birds by mosquitoes, but infected mosquitoes can also transmit the virus to humans. The ECDC has cautioned that the current figures might not represent the full extent of the virus’s transmission across Europe.