West Nile virus detected in southern state as health officials warn residents about mosquitoes

Health officials successful Nashville are urging residents to support themselves from mosquito bites aft West Nile microorganism was detected successful mosquitoes for the archetypal clip this year.

The Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) announced the microorganism was recovered successful a mosquito excavation collected adjacent Cass Street successful North Nashville, marking the city's archetypal detection of West Nile microorganism successful 2026 and the earliest affirmative mosquito illustration of the season.

The detection comes aft wellness officials reported elevated West Nile microorganism enactment successful mosquito pools during 2025, erstwhile 1 quality lawsuit of the microorganism was confirmed.

"We tin each play a relation successful reducing the beingness of mosquitoes successful our community, making our outdoor areas some much pleasant and safer from mosquito-borne diseases similar West Nile virus," Dr. Sanmi Areola, manager of wellness astatine the Metro Public Health Department said successful a connection to Fox 17.

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A close-up shows mosquitoes feeding successful Tehatta, India, connected May 1, 2026. Health officials successful Nashville precocious detected West Nile microorganism successful a mosquito pool, prompting residents to instrumentality precautions against mosquito bites. (Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"As our squad educates those successful the country wherever West Nile microorganism was found, we anticipation the remainder of our assemblage does what they tin to support themselves and their families from mosquitoes this summer."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile microorganism is the starring mosquito-borne illness successful the United States. Most radical infected with the microorganism bash not make symptoms, but astir 1 successful 5 acquisition fever, headaches, assemblage aches, vomiting, diarrhea oregon a rash. Fewer than 1% make a superior neurological unwellness that tin impact the encephalon oregon spinal cord, with older adults and radical with weakened immune systems facing the top risk.

Public wellness officials routinely trap and trial mosquitoes passim the summertime to show for West Nile microorganism activity. A affirmative mosquito illustration does not needfully mean radical successful the country volition go infected, but it serves arsenic an aboriginal informing that the microorganism is circulating locally.

In effect to the affirmative test, MPHD said crews are distributing acquisition flyers successful the affected neighborhood, expanding mosquito trapping, monitoring lasting h2o and applying larvicide wherever needed to assistance trim mosquito populations. The section said it does not spray insecticide to termination big mosquitoes.

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The Aedes mosquito is simply a known vector for respective viruses, including West Nile virus, yellowish fever virus, dengue virus, chikungunya virus, and Zika virus. Recently, the USA has been connected alert aft astir 300 cases of mosquito-borne West Nile microorganism were reported. The microorganism gained important attraction aft aggregate radical tested positive. Currently, nary vaccines beryllium for West Nile virus. Aedes mosquitoes began their humor repast from humans successful Tehatta, West Bengal, India, connected August 31, 2024. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Residents tin besides petition a escaped backyard inspection from the department's Pest Management squad to place areas wherever mosquitoes whitethorn beryllium breeding.

Health officials urge eliminating lasting h2o from vertebrate baths, flowerpots, buckets, aged tires, children's toys and different outdoor containers wherever mosquitoes laic eggs. Trimming overgrown vegetation astir homes tin besides assistance trim mosquito activity.

HEMET, CA - APRIL 26: A tract illustration of mosquitoes that could transportation West Nile Virus is seen astatine offices of the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health connected April 26, 2007 successful Hemet, California.  (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) (Getty)

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To assistance forestall mosquito bites, the wellness section recommends utilizing EPA-approved insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin oregon lipid of citrus eucalyptus, wearing agelong sleeves and pants outdoors during highest mosquito hours astir dusk and dawn, and making definite model and doorway screens are successful bully repair.

Officials said reducing mosquito breeding astir homes tin assistance little the hazard of West Nile microorganism and different mosquito-borne illnesses passim the community.