West Nile Fever in Serbia: 58 Cases, 23 in Belgrade
The Batut Institute has released a new update: 58 cases were registered by October 4, and 49 are the neuroinvasive form. Here is where they are and what Batut advises.
How many people in Serbia have fallen ill with West Nile fever this season? According to the latest update, 58, and 49 of them developed the neuroinvasive form, the one that affects the nervous system.
The data was released on October 6 by the Institute of Public Health of Serbia Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut. The update covers the period from the start of the surveillance season on June 1 to October 4, 2026.
From the start of the surveillance season on June 1 to October 4, 2026, a total of 58 cases of West Nile fever were registered in Serbia
That is what Batut’s statement says. The patients include 35 men and 23 women, and the average age is 64.
Where were the cases recorded?
Cases were registered in 12 districts. Belgrade leads the list, and the breakdown looks like this:
- Belgrade: 23
- South Backa District: 9
- Sumadija District: 7
- Central Banat District: 5
- South Banat District: 4
- North Banat, Rasina and Pomoravlje districts: 2 each
- West Backa, Branicevo and Raska districts: 1 each
- area covered by the Kosovska Mitrovica Institute of Public Health: 1
Telegraf reports that five new cases were confirmed compared with the previous update, while the number of severe cases is unchanged from last week. That detail does not appear in the other statements and reports we read, so we are passing it on only as that outlet’s claim.
How high is the real number of infections?
According to Telegraf, some Serbian experts, among them Prof. Dr Darko Nozic, estimate that the real number of infections is considerably higher and could reach 5,000. That is their estimate, not Batut data. The clinical picture can range from no symptoms at all to life-threatening conditions, and a severe headache is among the signs that should send you to a doctor.
What does the picture look like in Europe?
Alongside the domestic figures, data on the European season was released, up to September 30. In 14 European countries, 188 areas affected by the virus were identified and 1,705 locally acquired human cases were reported. Italy has the most (721), followed by Greece (420), Spain (131), France (128) and Romania (117). In the region, cases were reported in North Macedonia (70) and Albania (two).
The main carrier of the virus is the Culex pipiens mosquito, a species that also lives in Serbia. The transmission season here usually runs from June to November.
What does Batut recommend before you step outside?
The protective measures are simple, and you can apply most of them today:
- repellent on exposed skin while you are outdoors
- long sleeves and long trousers, preferably light in color
- avoiding time outdoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active
- protective screens on windows, doors and around beds
- water emptied from flowerpots, pet bowls, buckets and barrels at least once a week, because mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water
If you develop symptoms that match the neuroinvasive form of the disease, the advice is to contact your family doctor right away.
