On 16 September 2020, Dutch public health authorities reported the first animal, a warbler, that has tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV) in the Netherlands (Utrecht region). Warblers are migratory birds, but because this warbler was tested positive in late summer, it is very likely that it contracted WNV in the Netherlands. The same bird was also caught in the spring and had tested negative.
Defra has said that it will review its risk assessments, but that this finding does mean that WNV is now more likely to occur in GB and that they will be considering their surveillance and whether they need to do more.
Germany has recently reported 4 cases in horses – all of them in the East of Germany and no reports of deaths.