---
title: "Netherlands reports first West Nile virus infection in 6 years"
description: "A West Nile virus infection has been detected in the Netherlands for the first time since 2020, Dutch public health institution RIVM said on Monday."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "World"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-08-17-netherlands-reports-first-west-nile-virus-infection-in-6-years/"
published: "2026-08-17T11:44:46"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 103
---

# Netherlands reports first West Nile virus infection in 6 years

> A West Nile virus infection has been detected in the Netherlands for the first time since 2020, Dutch public health institution RIVM said on Monday.

By Reuters · Published 17 August 2026, 13:44 SAST

## Content

The virus, which mostly spreads to people through mosquito bites, can cause severe, life-threatening illness in about one in 150 people who are infected, according to the World Health Organization.

The detection comes as the WHO has warned that warmer temperatures are giving mosquitoes more time and territory to spread the virus across Europe, with cases climbing in Greece and Italy this summer.

The infected person in the Netherlands was only showing mild symptoms, the RIVM said.

The infection most likely occurred in the Netherlands, as the person had not been abroad recently, it added.

(Reporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Alex Richardson)