West Nile Cases Escalate in North Macedonia, Spurring Calls for Action

Registered cases and deaths from West Nile virus have soared in North Macedonia this year, outstripping all previous years combined since the mosquito-borne virus was first detected in the country in 2011 and spurring calls for better monitoring and control. So far this year, the country of 1.8 million people has recorded at least 60 confirmed, locally acquired cases and at least eight deaths, mainly in the Skopje region that comprises the capital and surrounding municipalities. That compares with 54 cases and five deaths for the whole of the period 2011 to end-2025, according to the latest European and national data. The outbreak is part of a wider surge of West Nile virus across southern and southeastern Europe this summer, with climate change a big contributing factor. The phenomenon has prompted calls in North Macedonia for better mitigation measures. Subscribe to Balkan Insight Premium to read the full article. Please login to your account below if you are already a Premium Subscriber. Buy Premium Subscription Our Premium Service gives you full access to all content published on BalkanInsight.com, including analyses, investigations, comments, interviews and more. Choose your subscription today and get unparalleled in-depth coverage of the Southern and Eastern Europe. Buy Premium Subscription If you have trouble logging in or any other questions regarding you account, please contact us