An Uptick of West Nile Virus Cases Concern Public Health Experts

Mosquitoes are back in full force as this year's historically wet winter and even hotter summer caused a significant uptick in mosquito hatchlings across the western U.S, including Colorado, Utah, and California. Along with these annoying insects comes the even greater threat of West Nile virus.

Many areas are starting to see the West Nile virus in mosquitoes, and Daniel Markowski, technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association, stated, "you’re at the right temperature, the right mosquito population and the right time of year for localized outbreaks to occur.”

What is West Nile Virus?

West Nile Virus was first identified in 1937 and is named after the region in Uganda where it was found. It is the most common cause of mosquito-borne disease in the United States, with thousands of cases reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) every year. Since 1999, there has been over 25,000 West Nile cases reported just in the month of August, according to the CDC.

This year as of August 1, 2023, 90 West Nile virus cases have been reported.