Visitors and residents in parts of Crete are being urged to continue taking normal precautions against mosquito bites as the island’s list of areas affected or considered at higher risk for West Nile virus expands.
The epidemiological situation in Crete remains limited, with three human cases recorded in the Heraklion and Rethymno regional units. Authorities say mosquito-control operations are continuing and there is currently no indication of wider transmission on the island.
Heraklion and Archanes-Asterousia Added to Affected Areas
Following the Municipality of Rethymno, the Municipalities of Heraklion and Archanes-Asterousia have now been added to the National Public Health Organization’s list of affected areas.
These classifications apply to municipalities where at least one human case has been recorded during the 2026 transmission season.
The Municipality of Hersonissos, meanwhile, has been classified as a high-risk area.
This designation does not mean that a human case has been recorded there.
Hersonissos Classified as High Risk
According to Antonis Papadakis, head of Public Health for the Region of Crete, the Hersonissos classification is precautionary.
The designation followed contact tracing linked to one of the confirmed cases in Heraklion. The patient’s holiday home is located close to the boundary between the two municipalities.
Papadakis told Nea Kriti that Hersonissos was therefore designated a high-risk area due to its proximity to the location associated with the case.
Under the EODY classification, high-risk municipalities are areas where no human cases have yet been recorded during the current transmission season, but where factors such as proximity to affected municipalities, geography and current or historical epidemiological data indicate a potential risk of transmission.
Three Cases Recorded in Crete
The number of confirmed human cases in Crete remains three.
They involve:
- A 63-year-old woman
- A 69-year-old man
- A 70-year-old man
All three cases involved neurological manifestations affecting the central nervous system.
Authorities stress that the classification changes do not represent a new increase in the number of cases on the island.
Mosquito Spraying Continues
The Region of Crete is continuing mosquito-control operations and has intensified spraying in areas identified through contact tracing.
Information leaflets have also been distributed locally.
At the same time, authorities are collecting mosquito samples to determine whether local mosquito populations are carrying the virus or other pathogens.
So far, according to Papadakis, the mosquito samples tested by the Institute of Molecular Entomology and Pest Management at FORTH have been negative.
This is considered an encouraging finding and is one reason authorities currently do not see evidence of significant further spread.
Authorities Remain on Alert
Additional testing is being carried out in areas associated with the three confirmed cases, with samples requested when potentially suspicious cases are identified.
Preventive measures have also been strengthened around blood collection in the affected areas.
Across Greece, however, West Nile virus activity is considerably greater than in Crete.
290 Cases Reported Across Greece
According to the latest EODY data cited in the report, 290 locally acquired cases have been diagnosed and reported in Greece so far this season.
Of these, 58 are new cases, while 24 deaths have been recorded.
A total of 199 patients experienced neurological manifestations, while 91 had milder symptoms. At the time of the report, 32 patients were being treated in intensive care units nationwide.
Crete accounts for only three of the reported cases.
For tourists, the current situation does not indicate widespread West Nile virus transmission across Crete.
The affected and high-risk classifications do, however, underscore the importance of routine mosquito precautions, particularly in the evening and at night, when mosquito exposure can be higher.
The Region of Crete is continuing surveillance, mosquito control and laboratory testing while health authorities monitor the situation closely.
Crete currently has three confirmed human cases, while testing of mosquito samples has remained negative. Authorities are increasing preventive measures rather than responding to evidence of widespread transmission on the island.
