A Tel Aviv man has been diagnosed with the mosquito-borne West Nile virus, marking the first confirmed case of the disease in Israel during the 2026 summer season, health and environmental authorities said on Thursday.
The Health Ministry and Environmental Protection Ministry said that, despite the confirmed case, routine monitoring has so far not detected any mosquitoes carrying the virus.
West Nile virus is transmitted to human beings through the bites of mosquitoes that have fed on infected birds, Prof. Sigal Sadetzki, head of the Health Ministry’s Public Health Services Division, said in the statement.
“The disease is usually mild or causes no symptoms, but in rare cases it can lead to severe illness, including encephalitis or meningitis,” she said.
The Environmental Protection Ministry noted it conducts year-round mosquito surveillance, with increased monitoring in the summer. Thousands of mosquito larvae inspections and hundreds of adult mosquito trapping operations are carried out annually, with collected specimens tested by Health Ministry laboratories.
The ministry said mosquito populations typically increase between June and November because warm, humid weather and standing water allow mosquitoes to breed more easily.
Authorities urged the public to eliminate standing water from buckets, flowerpot trays, old tires, gutters, ornamental ponds and barrels; use mosquito repellents, window screens and long, light-colored clothing outdoors after dark; and report mosquito infestations or standing water in public areas to their local authority.
The ministries said they would continue monitoring the disease’s spread and provide updates as necessary.
