For the first time in 2026, mosquitoes carrying West Nile fever were discovered in Israel.

According to the Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the year, six cases of West Nile fever have been confirmed in Israel. The Ministry of Health reminds that the virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of mosquitoes that feed on the blood of infected birds. In most cases, the disease is asymptomatic or mild. However, in rare cases, severe complications can develop, including inflammation of the brain or its lining.

From June to November, Israel experiences a seasonal increase in the number of mosquitoes capable of transmitting the virus. As part of ongoing monitoring, specialists annually conduct thousands of checks of larvae and hundreds of captures of adult mosquitoes, which are then examined in the laboratories of the Ministry of Health. At the moment, no other outbreaks of infected mosquitoes have been identified in the country.

Experts urge the population to drain containers with standing water, use mosquito repellents, install nets on windows and report to municipal services by calling 106 about mosquito concentrations and open sources of standing water.