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

Health officials in Nashville are urging residents to protect themselves from mosquito bites after West Nile virus was detected in mosquitoes for the first time this year.The Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) announced the virus was found in a mosquito pool collected near Cass Street in North Nashville, marking the city's first detection of West Nile virus in 2026 and the earliest positive mosquito sample of the season.The detection comes after health officials reported elevated West Nile virus activity in mosquito pools during 2025, when one human case of the virus was confirmed."We can all play a role in reducing the presence of mosquitoes in our community, making our outdoor areas both more pleasant and safer from mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus," Dr.Sanmi Areola, director of health at the Metro Public Health Department said in a statement to Fox 17.MEASLES-INFECTED TRAVELER MAY HAVE EXPOSED PASSENGERS AT LAX AND NEARBY HOTEL, HEALTH OFFICIALS WARNA close-up shows mosquitoes feeding in Tehatta, India, on May 1, 2026.

Health officials in Nashville recently detected West Nile virus in a mosquito pool, prompting residents to take precautions against mosquito bites.(Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)"As our team educates those in the area where West Nile virus was found, we hope the rest of our community does what they can to protect themselves and their families from mosquitoes this summer."According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Nile virus is the leading mosquito-borne disease in the United States.

Most people infected with the virus do not develop symptoms, but about one in five experience fever, headaches, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea or a rash.Fewer than 1% develop a serious neurological illness that can affect the brain or spinal cord, with older adults and people with weakened immune systems facing the greatest risk.Public health officials routinely trap and test mosquitoes throughout the summer to monito...