Overview:
The city confirmed its first positive test of West Nile Virus in a mosquito trap in central San Antonio.
A mosquito pool in San Antonio has tested positive for West Nile virus, the first positive test this year, Metro Health announced on Monday.
The positive test was collected in a mosquito trap in the north central area of the city near the intersection of West Avenue and Blanco Road. The city recorded 64 positive tests for the virus in mosquito pools across the city in 2024.
The San Antonio Metropolitan Health District plans to treat the area on Wednesday at 3 a.m. and advised residents to stay indoors while sprayers are in the area.
The first case of West Nile illness in Texas was recorded on June 24 in a Brazos County resident, according to state officials. Mosquitos infected with West Nile virus can transmit the disease through biting.
Most people who are exposed to the virus don’t get sick. But those who do may experience fever, headache, nausea, muscle and joint pain. Fewer than 1% of people exposed to the disease suffer from West Nile neuroinvasive disease, a potentially deadly condition that affects the nervous system.
State public health officials recorded 455 cases of West Nile disease in Texas in 2024, and 56 deaths.
Officials advise wearing long sleeves and pants, as well as mosquito repellent, especially during dusk and dawn, when they’re more active. They also advise eliminating standing water to prevent mosquitos from laying eggs.
