NYC Detects First 2026 West Nile Virus Case

To stem the rising tide, the New York City health department conducted targeted mosquito control treatments in parts of Brooklyn this week.

Juliette Fairley

Published: 8/20/2026, 12:05:40 PM EDT

NYC Detects First 2026 West Nile Virus Case — A Culex tarsalis mosquito is shown at the Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement District in Salt Lake City on Aug. 28, 2023. (Rick Bowmer/AP Photo)

The New York City Health Department is reporting that a New York City resident has contracted West Nile virus after spending time outdoors and in several locations outside the city.

This is the first reported case in New York City so far in 2026.

“We’re encouraging New Yorkers to take extra precautions to minimize the risk of mosquito bites,” New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said. “West Nile virus is spread by mosquito bites and cannot spread from person to person. The good news is it’s preventable.”

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) surveillance data show the number of human cases nationwide has increased from 32 in July to 222 in August.

At 76, the state of Arizona is recording the highest number of reports, followed by Texas with 31 cases, and California with 29 cases.

"These findings serve as an important reminder that mosquito season is well underway," CDC Medical Epidemiologist Dr. Erin Staples said in a statement.

To stem the rising tide, the New York City health department conducted targeted mosquito control treatments in parts of Brooklyn this week on Monday and Wednesday.

Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus are present in New York City every year from June through October, with peak activity between August and September, according to a health department statement.

The West Nile virus is spread through mosquito bites and can cause mild to moderate symptoms like fever, headaches, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, a rash, and in some cases, meningitis or encephalitis.

There is no vaccine against West Nile virus, making prevention the only line of defense.

Precautions include wearing insect repellent, covering up during dawn and dusk, and eliminating standing water around the home.

The CDC also recommends installing screens on windows and doors.

“All New Yorkers should take these precautions seriously, especially older New Yorkers and those with a weakened immune system,” Martin said.

According to the Baylor College of Medicine, the virus is carried primarily by Culex mosquitoes, which pick it up by feeding on infected birds. Birds serve as the primary reservoir for the virus, and in some species—especially crows—the infection can be fatal, with dead birds sometimes serving as an early warning sign of the virus's presence in an area.

The virus was first identified in Uganda's West Nile district in 1937 and reached the United States in 1999 when a strain linked to cases in Israel and Tunisia was detected in New York City and then spread across the entire continental U.S. in the years that followed.