Iva Hristova, the director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, reassured that there is no danger of a West Nile fever epidemic in the country. Speaking on BNT, she emphasized that the infection is transmitted by a specific type of mosquito, which is common in Bulgaria.

Hristova clarified that the disease is not contagious from person to person, making an epidemic unlikely. She noted that while cases of West Nile fever occur in Europe annually, Bulgaria has only seen a few, with some years recording no cases at all. The highest number of cases in Bulgaria was in 2018, with 15 reported.

Out of the three registered cases in Bulgaria this year, only one patient had traveled to Greece, where the situation is more severe. Hristova pointed out that Greece has experienced several epidemic outbreaks and currently accounts for about half of all cases reported in Europe.

Complications from the virus are rare, occurring in less than 1% of those infected. These complications primarily affect individuals over 65-70 years old, especially those with underlying health conditions that weaken the immune system. Hristova predicted that most people who contract the virus would experience no symptoms or only mild, flu-like illness.