Mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been detected in Anoka and Carver counties in Minnesota. According to Monte Ebbesen, Metropolitan Mosquito Control District public affairs assistant, the detection is not alarming as it’s the peak season for the virus.
The district’s Integrated Pest Management Program aims to treat water-holding areas at the larval stage and adult mosquitoes if necessary. Officials stress that individual action is crucial in reducing the risk of transmission.
People can take steps such as wearing bug spray, dressing appropriately, avoiding perfume, and wearing light colors to minimize their chances of getting bitten. Most people infected with West Nile virus show no symptoms, but those with certain health conditions like cancer, diabetes, or high blood pressure are at a higher risk of severe illness.
Mosquitoes with West Nile virus are most active between dusk and dawn and tend to linger around swamps and ponds. The state has reported 22 West Nile cases in 2022, with the virus first detected in Minnesota in 2002.
Source: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/07/06/mosquitoes-with-west-nile-virus-found-in-anoka-and-carver-counties