Overview
- Maricopa County health officials announced the season’s first West Nile death and said 17 human cases have been confirmed so far in 2026.
- The person who died was an older adult with underlying health conditions and county officials did not release the individual’s identity or the timing of the death.
- County officials noted the 17 cases compare with four during the same period in 2025, reflecting an early seasonal surge in mosquito-borne transmission.
- The Maricopa County Department of Public Health works year-round with the county Environmental Services Department to expand mosquito surveillance and control and is urging residents to use EPA-registered repellents, remove standing water, wear protective clothing, and repair screens.
- West Nile spreads through infected mosquito bites; most people have no symptoms, about one in five get flu-like illness, and a small share develop serious brain or spinal cord inflammation that can cause long-term disability or death.