Albania has recorded its first confirmed case of West Nile Fever for 2026. According to the official announcement, the case was diagnosed on August 1 in Korçë County, while health institutions say the situation is being monitored.
The first case was identified in Korçë
The Ministry of Health reacted after the first case of infection with West Nile Virus in the country was made public. According to the official version, it concerns a case identified in Korçë County.
The official statement specifies that the diagnosis was made on August 1, making this the first confirmed case in Albania for 2026.
What health institutions say
According to the Ministry, the Institute of Public Health is carrying out systematic and intensive monitoring of WNV infection in the country.
According to the same institution, the Institute of Public Health is continuing epidemiological surveillance in humans, the epidemiological and entomological investigation of the confirmed case, as well as monitoring the situation.
30 samples tested earlier had come back negative
Health authorities say that since January 2026, 30 samples from suspected cases of West Nile Virus infection have been tested.
According to official data, all of these samples had tested negative until the first case was identified during the second 10-day period of August.
The virus is not unknown in Albania
WNV infection has also been documented previously in the country, making important not only the announcement of the new case, but also how epidemiological surveillance is being managed.
According to the published figures, in 2024, 107 confirmed cases and 50 possible cases were reported, while in 2025, 2 confirmed cases were reported.
The confirmed case in Korçë brings renewed attention to the circulation of this infection in Albania, while the institutional response remains limited to monitoring and investigating the case.
For the moment, institutions have not provided further public details about the patient’s condition or about additional measures in the field.