What do I need to know before I travel?
Public Health Scotland logo

Fit for Travel Logo

Information on how to stay safe and healthy abroad. About us.

West Nile Virus in Portugal (Algarve)

21 Sep 2015

A confirmed human case of West Nile virus (WNV) infection was notified to WHO by the Portuguese National IHR Focal Point on 14 September 2015.

The case is a 71-year-old male, a resident of Loulé municipality in the town of Almancil in the Algarve Region, southern Portugal. The man gave no history of recent travel out-with Portugal and has since made a full recovery.

WNV has previously been reported in Portugal, two in 2004 and one in 2010.

Advice for Travellers

There is no vaccine or specific treatment for WNV. Infection is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito, therefore avoidance of mosquito bites is essential, by covering up and the use of bite avoidance measures.