• A virus transmitted by mosquitoes has infected 356 people in Israel.
• Experts attribute the 400% increase in the virus to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and global warming.
West Nile fever has surged in Israel, with case numbers at their highest levels in nearly 25 years. At least 356 people have contracted the virus so far this year—a 400 percent increase from the same period in 2023—and 19 have died, according to Israel’s Ministry of Health.
The virus is transmitted to humans through Culex mosquitoes that feed on infected birds, which are natural reservoirs for the disease. Roughly one in five people will develop symptoms, including headache, joint pains, and a rash, and around one percent will develop severe illness, such as encephalitis or meningitis—both of which can be fatal. Israel typically experiences around 50 cases annually, mostly during the summer months.
The ministry said case numbers are likely on the rise due to the effects of climate change, which are pushing mosquitoes into more areas and allowing them to thrive. “Israel’s hot and humid summers create an ideal environment for mosquitoes to breed and proliferate,” explained Roger Hewson, Professor of Molecular Virology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. “These conditions can extend the mosquito breeding season and increase their populations, thereby enhancing virus transmission rates,” Prof Hewson added.
The spike could also be linked to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, some experts have noted. “Disruptions caused by conflict can exacerbate poor living conditions, leading to inadequate waste management and increased standing water,” said Prof Hewson.
Many areas in the south of Israel, including the port city of Eilat which is currently grappling with dozens of cases, have seen an increase in military operations, which “naturally produce waste and stagnant water, ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes,” also noted an article in The Jerusalem Post, Israel’s largest English language newspaper. This is not the first time Israel has seen a large outbreak of West Nile virus. In 2000, serological testing confirmed 439 cases—and 29 of those died.
