Europe is facing an alarming surge in mosquito-borne illnesses, with both West Nile virus (WNV) and chikungunya setting unprecedented records this year. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has warned that rising temperatures, shifting rainfall, longer summers, and milder winters have created ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, intensifying the risk of transmission.
&ldquo;Europe is entering a new phase where longer, more widespread and more intense transmission of mosquito-borne diseases is becoming the new normal,&rdquo; said&nbsp;ECDC Director Pamela Rendi-Wagner, stressing the urgent need for continent-wide preparedness.
The report highlighted that Aedes albopictus, the mosquito capable of spreading chikungunya, is now firmly established in 16 European nations and 369 regions, a massive jump from just 114 regions a decade earlier. This rapid expansion, combined with international travel, makes local outbreaks increasingly likely.
Europe has already witnessed 27 chikungunya outbreaks in 2025, the highest ever recorded. For the first tme, it was France&rsquo;s Alsace region that reported a locally transmitted case of chikungunya, signaling how the risk zone is pushing further north.
West Nile virus, too, is spreading to new territories each year. Infections were recently detected for the first time in Italy&rsquo;s Latina and Frosinone provinces and in Sălaj County, Romania. Europe has also logged its highest West Nile case count in the past three years, with numbers expected to peak in August and September.
&ldquo;As the mosquito-borne disease landscape evolves, more people in Europe will be at risk in the future. This makes prevention more important than ever, both through coordinated public health action and personal protection measures. There is an urgent need to strengthen and scale up efficient, environmentally friendly mosquito control interventions,&rdquo; said Dr C&eacute;line Gossner, Head of Section for Food, Water, Vector-borne and Zoonotic Diseases at ECDC.
Health experts caution that without swift action, mosquito-borne illnesses could become an entrenched reality in Europe, reshaping public health strategies for years to come.

Mosquito Threat Rises in Europe Like Never Before

ECDC warns: warmer climate fuels record West Nile and chikungunya outbreaks

Mosquito Threat Rises in Europe Like Never Before

ECDC warns: warmer climate fuels record West Nile and chikungunya outbreaks

August 20, 2025 | 19:02 IST