Overview
- A long-term analysis by the Medical University of Vienna covering 2009–2024 recorded 37 confirmed infections in 2024, including 19 hospital-treated severe cases.
- Study lead Judith Aberle said the sustained rise shows the virus is now firmly established in Austria.
- A variant previously associated with southern and southeastern Europe was detected, aligning with intensified transmission in north Burgenland.
- Austria’s AGES monitored mosquitoes at 68 sites in 2024 and found three positive pools, two in Eisenstadt, providing entomological evidence of local spread.
- There is no human vaccine, so officials emphasize bite prevention and clinical vigilance, with recent deaths in Italy and Greece and RKI projections highlighting wider regional risk.