Las Vegas Faces Record Surge of Mosquitoes Testing Positive for West Nile Virus
Travelers might want to reconsider their summer plans to the Las Vegas area, as Southern Nevada faces an unprecedented surge in mosquito activity, with over 3,000 mosquitoes testing positive for West Nile virus.
The Southern Nevada Health District announced in a press release on Monday that as of June 6, 91 mosquito pools, consisting of 3,081 mosquitoes from 16 ZIP codes, have tested positive for West Nile virus. Additionally, two pools with 46 mosquitoes from two ZIP codes tested positive for the virus causing St. Louis encephalitis.
The district’s Mosquito Surveillance Program has seen a spike in mosquito activity complaints from residents. Officials partly attribute this increase to the rising presence of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, known for their aggressive daytime biting and preference for humans over birds. This species has tested positive for West Nile virus for the first time in Clark County, according to the press release.
Over the past four years, Southern Nevada had minimal West Nile virus activity, with only two human cases reported in 2023. In contrast, 2019 saw 43 confirmed human cases.
Humans can contract West Nile virus from the bite of an infected mosquito. According to the press release, about one in five infected individuals will experience symptoms like fever, headache, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. In rarer cases, about one in 150 people, the infection can lead to severe or even fatal illness.
The last recorded positive test for St. Louis encephalitis virus in Clark County mosquitoes was in 2019, with the most recent human case in 2016. Similar to West Nile virus, St. Louis encephalitis is transmitted through mosquito bites. While most infected individuals remain asymptomatic, some may develop fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Severe cases can lead to neuroinvasive diseases such as encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) or meningitis (inflammation of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord).
Health officials urge the public to take preventive measures against mosquito-borne illnesses. Recommendations include eliminating standing water to prevent mosquito breeding and using insect repellent to avoid bites.
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