The key facts
- The death toll has reached 12, with two more people dying over the past week
- A total of 77 infections have been confirmed, with only one new case in the past week
- The largest number of cases is in South Holland — 45 people
Death toll rises, but new cases keep declining
In the Netherlands, the number of patients who died after being diagnosed with West Nile virus has risen to 12: two more deaths were reported over the past week. The report comes from the Hart van Nederland portal, citing the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM).
Infection dynamics
At the same time, the spread of the infection has slowed: only one new case was registered over seven days, bringing the total number of confirmed infections since the beginning of 2026 to 77. For comparison, as of September 24, as previously reported by Life.ru, there were 44 cases, with 16 new patients identified per week and five deaths.
Geography and characteristics of the virus
The largest number of cases was recorded in the province of South Holland — 45 people. Utrecht reported 14 cases, North Holland and North Brabant seven each, and two each in Gelderland and Overijssel. The virus is transmitted to humans primarily through bites from infected mosquitoes; most infected people show no symptoms, but the infection is sometimes accompanied by fever, headache, and muscle pain. In rare cases, severe complications are possible, including inflammation of the brain or its membranes; the elderly and patients with weakened immune systems are at the greatest risk.
Experts' forecast
RIVM specialists expect the number of infections to continue declining as the mosquito activity season comes to an end. At the same time, the institute notes that the rise in the number of registered deaths does not necessarily mean an increase in new cases of the disease.
